Radio Continuum Images Research Articles

PGNets: planet mass prediction using convolutional neural networks for radio continuum observations of protoplanetary discs

ABSTRACT We developed convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to rapidly and directly infer the planet mass from radio dust continuum images. Substructures induced by young planets in protoplanetary discs can be used to infer the potential young planets’ properties. Hydrodynamical simulations have been used to study the relationships between the planet’s properties and these disc features. However, these attempts either fine-tuned numerical simulations to fit one protoplanetary disc at a time, which was time consuming, or azimuthally averaged simulation results to derive some linear relationships between the gap width/depth and the planet mass, which lost information on asymmetric features in discs. To cope with these disadvantages, we developed Planet Gap neural Networks (PGNets) to infer the planet mass from two-dimensional images. We first fit the gridded data in Zhang et al. as a classification problem. Then, we quadrupled the data set by running additional simulations with near-randomly sampled parameters, and derived the planet mass and disc viscosity together as a regression problem. The classification approach can reach an accuracy of 92 per cent, whereas the regression approach can reach 1σ as 0.16 dex for planet mass and 0.23 dex for disc viscosity. We can reproduce the degeneracy scaling α ∝ $M_\mathrm{ p}^3$ found in the linear fitting method, which means that the CNN method can even be used to find degeneracy relationship. The gradient-weighted class activation mapping effectively confirms that PGNets use proper disc features to constrain the planet mass. We provide programs for PGNets and the traditional fitting method from Zhang et al., and discuss each method’s advantages and disadvantages.

Tracing the Milky Way’s Vestigial Nuclear Jet

Abstract MeerKAT radio continuum and XMM-Newton X-ray images have recently revealed a spectacular bipolar channel at the Galactic Center that spans several degrees (∼0.5 kpc). An intermittent jet likely formed this channel and is consistent with earlier evidence of a sustained, Seyfert-level outburst fueled by black hole accretion onto Sgr A* several Myr ago. Therefore, to trace a now weak jet that perhaps penetrated, deflected, and percolated along multiple paths through the interstellar medium, relevant interactions are identified and quantified in archival X-ray images, Hubble Space Telescope Paschen α images and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array millimeter-wave spectra, and new SOAR telescope IR spectra. Hydrodynamical simulations are used to show how a nuclear jet can explain these structures and inflate the ROSAT/eROSITA X-ray and Fermi γ-ray bubbles that extend ± 75° from the Galactic plane. Thus, our Galactic outflow has features in common with energetic, jet-driven structures in the prototypical Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068.

CHANG-ES XXIII: influence of a galactic wind in NGC 5775

ABSTRACT We present new radio continuum images of the edge-on starburst galaxy NGC 5775, from LOFAR (140 MHz) and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array CHANG-ES survey (1500 MHz). We trace the non-thermal radio halo up to 13 kpc from the disc, measuring the non-thermal spectral index and estimating the total equipartition magnetic field strength (≈13 $\mu$G in the disc and ≈7 $\mu$G above the plane). The radio halo has a similar extent at both frequencies, displays evidence for localized cosmic ray streaming coinciding with prominent H α filaments and vertical extensions of the regular magnetic field, and exhibits a boxy morphology especially at 140 MHz. In order to understand the nature of the disc–halo flow, we extend our previous model of cosmic ray propagation by implementing an iso-thermal wind with a tunable ‘flux tube’ (approximately hyperboloidal) geometry. This updated model is successful in matching the vertical distribution of non-thermal radio emission, and the vertical steepening of the associated spectral index, in a consistent conceptual framework with few free parameters. Our new model provides the opportunity to estimate the mass outflow driven by the star formation process, and we find an implied rate of $\dot{M}\approx 3$–$6\, \mathrm{M_{\odot }\, yr^{-1}}$ (≈40–80 per cent of the star formation rate) if the escape velocity is reached, with substantial uncertainty arising from the poorly understood distribution of interstellar medium material entrained in the vertical flow. The wind may play a role in influencing the vertical gradient in rotational velocity.

Tracing the Milky Way's Vestigial Nuclear Jet

MeerKAT radio continuum and XMM-Newton X-ray images have recently revealed a spectacular bipolar channel at the Galactic Center that spans several degrees ($\sim$0.5 kpc). An intermittent jet likely formed this channel and is consistent with earlier evidence of a sustained, Seyfert-level outburst fueled by black-hole accretion onto SgA* several Myr ago. Therefore, to trace an intermittent jet that perhaps penetrated, deflected, and percolated along multiple paths through the interstellar medium, relevant interactions are identified and quantified in archival X-ray images, Hubble Space Telescope Paschen-$\alpha$ images and ALMA mm-wave spectra, and new SOAR telescope IR spectra. Hydrodynamical simulations are used to show how a currently weak jet can explain these structures and inflate the ROSAT/eROSITA X-ray and Fermi $\gamma$-ray bubbles that extend $\pm$60 deg from the Galactic plane. Thus, our Galactic outflow has features in common with energetic, jet-driven structures in the prototypical Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068.

The ASKAP-EMU Early Science Project: 888 MHz radio continuum survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud

ABSTRACT We present an analysis of a new 120 deg2 radio continuum image of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) at 888 MHz with a bandwidth of 288 MHz and beam size of 13${_{.}^{\prime\prime}}$9 × 12${_{.}^{\prime\prime}}$1 from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder processed as part of the Evolutionary Map of the Universe survey. The median root mean squared noise is 58 $\mu$Jy beam−1. We present a catalogue of 54 612 sources, divided over a Gold list (30 866 sources) complete down to 0.5 mJy uniformly across the field, a Silver list (22 080 sources) reaching down to <0.2 mJy, and a Bronze list (1666 sources) of visually inspected sources in areas of high noise and/or near bright complex emission. We discuss detections of planetary nebulae and their radio luminosity function, young stellar objects showing a correlation between radio luminosity and gas temperature, novae and X-ray binaries in the LMC, and active stars in the Galactic foreground that may become a significant population below this flux level. We present examples of diffuse emission in the LMC (H ii regions, supernova remnants, bubbles) and distant galaxies showcasing spectacular interaction between jets and intracluster medium. Among 14 333 infrared counterparts of the predominantly background radio source population, we find that star-forming galaxies become more prominent below 3 mJy compared to active galactic nuclei. We combine the new 888 MHz data with archival Australia Telescope Compact Array data at 1.4 GHz to determine spectral indices; the vast majority display synchrotron emission but flatter spectra occur too. We argue that the most extreme spectral index values are due to variability.

The morphology of star-forming gas and its alignment with galaxies and dark matter haloes in the EAGLE simulations

ABSTRACT We present measurements of the morphology of star-forming gas in galaxies from the EAGLE simulations, and its alignment relative to stars and dark matter (DM). Imaging of such gas in the radio continuum enables weak lensing experiments that complement traditional optical approaches. Star-forming gas is typically more flattened than the stars and DM within halo centres, particularly for present-day structures of total mass $\sim 10^{12-12.5}\, {\rm M}_\odot$, which preferentially host star-forming galaxies with rotationally supported stellar discs. Such systems have oblate, spheroidal star-forming gas distributions, but in both less- and more-massive subhaloes the distributions tend to be prolate, and its morphology correlates positively and significantly with that of its host galaxy’s stars, both in terms of sphericity and triaxiality. The minor axis of star-forming gas most commonly aligns with the minor axis of its host subhalo’s central DM distribution, but this alignment is often poor in subhaloes with a prolate DM distribution. Star-forming gas aligns with the DM at the centre of its parent subhalo less strongly than is the case for stars, but its morphological minor axis aligns closely with its kinematic axis, affording a route to observational identification of the unsheared morphological axis. The projected ellipticities of star-forming gas in EAGLE are consistent with shapes inferred from high-fidelity radio continuum images, and they exhibit greater shape noise than is the case for images of the stars, owing to the greater characteristic flattening of star-forming gas with respect to stars.

The LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey: Deep Fields Data Release 1

The Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is a sensitive, high-resolution 120-168 MHz survey split across multiple tiers over the northern sky. The first LoTSS Deep Fields data release consists of deep radio continuum imaging at 150 MHz of the Boötes, European Large Area Infrared Space Observatory Survey-North 1, and Lockman Hole fields, down to rms sensitivities of ~32, 20, and 22 μJy beam−1, respectively. In this paper we present consistent photometric redshift (photo-z) estimates for the optical source catalogues in all three fields – totalling over 7 million sources (~5 million after limiting to regions with the best photometric coverage). Our photo-z estimation uses a hybrid methodology that combines template fitting and machine learning and is optimised to produce the best possible performance for the radio continuum selected sources and the wider optical source population. Comparing our results with spectroscopic redshift samples, we find a robust scatter ranging from 1.6 to 2% for galaxies and 6.4 to 7% for identified optical, infrared, or X-ray selected active galactic nuclei. Our estimated outlier fractions (|zphot−zspec|/(1+zspec)>0.15) for the corresponding subsets range from 1.5 to 1.8% and 18 to 22%, respectively. Replicating trends seen in analyses of previous wide-area radio surveys, we find no strong trend in photo-z quality as a function of radio luminosity for a fixed redshift. We exploit the broad wavelength coverage available within each field to produce galaxy stellar mass estimates for all optical sources at z < 1.5. Stellar mass functions derived for each field are used to validate our mass estimates, with the resulting estimates in good agreement between each field and with published results from the literature.

Broad-velocity-width Molecular Features in the Galactic Plane

Abstract We performed a systematic search for broad-velocity-width molecular features (BVFs) in the disk part of our Galaxy by using the CO J = 1–0 survey data obtained with the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45 m telescope. From this search, 58 BVFs were identified. In comparisons with the infrared and radio continuum images, 36 BVFs appeared to have both infrared and radio continuum counterparts, and 15 of them are described as molecular outflows from young stellar objects in the literature. In addition, 21 BVFs have infrared counterparts only, and eight of them are described as molecular outflows in the literature. One BVF (CO 16.134–0.553) does not have any luminous counterpart in the other wavelengths, which suggests that it may be an analog of high-velocity compact clouds in the Galactic center.

Physical characterization of S169: a prototypical IR bubble associated with the massive star-forming region IRAS 12326-6245

Aims. With the aim of studying the physical properties of Galactic IR bubbles and to explore their impact in massive star formation, we present a study of the IR bubble S169, associated with the massive star forming region IRAS 12326-6245. Methods. We used CO (2–1),13CO (2–1), C18O (2–1), HCN (3–2), and HCO+ (3–2) line data obtained with the APEX telescope using the on-the-fly full sampling technique to study the properties of the molecular gas in the nebula and the IRAS source. To analyze the properties and distribution of the dust, we made use of images obtained from the IRAC-GLIMPSE, Herschel, and ATLASGAL archives. The properties of the ionized gas in the nebula were studied using radio continuum and Hα images obtained from the SUMSS survey and SuperCOSMOS database, respectively. In our search for stellar and protostellar objects in the region, we used point source calalogs obtained from the MSX, WISE, GLIMPSE, 2MASS, AAVSO, ASCC-2.5V3, and GAIA databases. Results. The new APEX observations allowed us to identify three molecular components, each one associated with different regions of the nebula, namely: at −39 km s−1 (component A), −25 km s−1 (component B), and −17 km s−1 (component C). Component A is shown to be the most dense and clumpy. Six molecular condensations (MC1 to MC6) were identified in this component, with MC3 (the densest and more massive one) being the molecular counterpart of IRAS 12326-6245. For this source, we estimated an H2 column density up to 8 × 1023 cm−2. An LTE analysis of the high density tracer lines HCO+ (3–2) and HCN (3–2) on this source, assuming 50 and 150 K, respectively, indicates column densities of N(HCO+) = (5.2 ± 0.1) × 1013 cm−2 and N(HCN) = (1.9 ± 0.5) × 1014 cm−2. To explain the morphology and velocity of components A, B, and C, we propose a simple model consisting of a partially complete semisphere-like structure expanding at ~12 km s−1. The introduction of this model has led to a discussion about the distance to both S169 and IRAS 12326-6245, which was estimated to be ~2 kpc. Several candidate YSOs were identified, projected mostly onto the molecular condensations MC3, MC4, and MC5, which indicates that the star-formation process is very active at the borders of the nebula. A comparison between observable and modeled parameters was not enough to discern whether the collect-and-collapse mechanism is acting at the edge of S169. However, other processes such as radiative-driven implosion or even a combination of both mechanisms, namely, collect-and-collapse and radiative-driven implosion, could be acting simultaneously in the region.

The MAVERIC Survey: New Compact Binaries Revealed by Deep Radio Continuum Observations of the Galactic Globular Cluster Terzan 5

Abstract Owing to its massive, dense core, Terzan 5 has the richest population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) known among Galactic globular clusters. Here we report new deep 2–8 GHz radio continuum observations of Terzan 5 obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. We have identified a total of 24 sources within the cluster half-light radius, including 17 within the core radius. Nineteen are associated with previously studied MSPs and X-ray binaries. Three of the new radio sources have steep radio spectra and are located within the cluster core, as expected for MSPs. These three sources have hard X-ray photon indices (Γ = 1.3–1.5) and highly variable X-ray emission, suggesting they are binary MSPs belonging to the spider class. For the most X-ray luminous of these sources, the redback spider classification is confirmed by its X-ray light curve, which shows an orbital period of 12.32 hr and double-peaked structure around X-ray maximum. The likely discovery of bright binary MSPs in a well-studied cluster like Terzan 5 highlights how deep radio continuum imaging can complement pulsar search and timing observations in finding probable eclipsing systems. The other new radio source in the core has a flat radio spectrum and is X-ray faint ( erg s−1) with a photon index Γ = 2.1 ± 0.5, consistent with the properties expected for a quiescent stellar-mass black hole X-ray binary.

The MAVERIC Survey: Radio Catalogs and Source Counts from Deep Very Large Array Imaging of 25 Galactic Globular Clusters

Abstract The MAVERIC survey is the first deep radio continuum imaging survey of Milky Way globular clusters, with a central goal of finding and classifying accreting compact binaries, including stellar-mass black holes. Here we present radio source catalogs for 25 clusters with ultra-deep Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array observations. The median observing time was 10 hr per cluster, resulting in typical rms sensitivities of 2.3 and 2.1 μJy per beam at central frequencies of 5.0 and 7.2 GHz, respectively. We detect nearly 1300 sources in our survey at 5σ, and while many of these are likely to be background sources, we also find strong evidence for an excess of radio sources in some clusters. The radio spectral index distribution of sources in the cluster cores differs from the background, and shows a bimodal distribution. We tentatively classify the steep-spectrum sources (those much brighter at 5.0 GHz) as millisecond pulsars and the flat-spectrum sources as compact or other kinds of binaries. These provisional classifications will be solidified with the future addition of X-ray and optical data. The outer regions of our images represent a deep, relatively wide-field (∼0.4 deg2) and high-resolution C band background survey, and we present source counts calculated for this area. We also release radio continuum images for these 25 clusters to the community.

WISE J044232.92+322734.9: A star-forming galaxy at redshift 1.1 seen through a Galactic dust clump?

Context. Physically unassociated background or foreground objects seen towards submillimetre sources are potential contaminants of both the studies of young stellar objects embedded in Galactic dust clumps and multiwavelength counterparts of submillimetre galaxies (SMGs). Aims. We aim to search for and characterise the properties of a potential extragalactic object seen in projection towards a Galactic dust clump. Methods. We employed the near-infrared (3.4 μm and 4.6 μm) and mid-infrared (12 μm and 22 μm) data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and the submillimetre data from the Planck satellite. Results. We uncovered a source, namely the WISE source J044232.92+322734.9 (hereafter J044232.92), which is detected in the W1–W3 bands of WISE, but undetected at 22 μm (W4), and whose WISE infrared (IR) colours suggest that it is a star-forming galaxy (SFG). This source is seen in projection towards the Planck-detected dust clump PGCC G169.20-8.96, which likely belongs to the Taurus-Auriga cloud complex, at a distance of 140 pc. We used the MAGPHYS+photo-z spectral energy distribution (SED) code to derive the photometric redshift and physical properties of J044232.92. The redshift was derived to be zphot = 1.132−0.165+0.280, while, for example, the stellar mass, IR (8–1000 μm) luminosity, and star formation rate were derived to be M⋆ = 4.6−2.5+4.7 × 1011 M⊙, LIR = 2.8−1.5+5.7 × 1012 L⊙, and SFR = 191−146+580 M⊙ yr−1 (or 281−155+569 M⊙ yr−1 when estimated from the IR luminosity). The derived value of LIR suggests that J044232.92 could be an ultraluminous IR galaxy, and we found that it is consistent with a main sequence SFG at a redshift of 1.132. Conclusions. The estimated physical properties of J044232.92 are comparable to those of SMGs, except that the derived stellar mass of J044232.92 appears somewhat higher (by a factor of 4–5) than the average stellar masses of SMGs. However, the stellar mass difference could just reflect the poorly sampled SED in the ultraviolet, optical, and near-IR regimes. Indeed, the SED of J044232.92 could not be well constrained using the currently available data (WISE only), and hence the derived redshift of the source and its physical properties should be taken as preliminary estimates. Further observations, in particular high-resolution (sub-)millimetre and radio continuum imaging, are needed to better constrain the redshift and physical properties of J044232.92 and to see if the source really is a galaxy seen through a Galactic dust clump, in particular an SMG population member at z ∼ 1.1.

Evidence for a jet and outflow from Sgr A*: a continuum and spectral line study

ABSTRACT We study the environment of Sgr A* using spectral and continuum observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and Very Large Array. Our analysis of subarcsecond H30 α, H39 α, H52 α , and H56 α line emission towards Sgr A* confirms the recently published broad-peak ∼500 km s−1 spectrum towards Sgr A*. We also detect emission at more extreme radial velocities peaking near −2500 and 4000 km s−1 within 0.2 arcsec. We then present broad-band radio continuum images at multiple frequencies on scales from arcseconds to arcminutes. A number of elongated continuum structures lie parallel to the Galactic plane, extending from ∼0.4 arcsec to ∼10 arcmin. We note a non-thermal elongated structure on an arcminute scale emanating from Sgr A* at low frequencies between 1 and 1.4 GHz where thermal emission from the minispiral is depressed by optical depth effects. The position angle of this elongated structure and the sense of motion of ionized features with respect to Sgr A* suggest a symmetric, collimated jet emerging from Sgr A* with an opening angle of ∼30○ and a position angle of ∼60○ punching through the medium before accelerating a significant fraction of the orbiting ionized gas to high velocities. The jet with an estimated mass flow rate of ∼1.4 × 10−5 M⊙ yr−1 emerges perpendicular to the equatorial plane of the accretion flow near the event horizon of Sgr A* and runs along the Galactic plane. To explain a number of east–west features near Sgr A*, we also consider the possibility of an outflow component with a wider angle launched from the accretion flow at larger radii.

The VLA-COSMOS 3 GHz Large Project: Evolution of Specific Star Formation Rates out to z ∼ 5

Abstract We provide a coherent, uniform measurement of the evolution of the logarithmic star formation rate (SFR)–stellar mass (M *) relation, called the main sequence (MS) of star-forming galaxies , for star-forming and all galaxies out to . We measure the MS using mean stacks of 3 GHz radio-continuum images to derive average SFRs for ∼ 200,000 mass-selected galaxies at z > 0.3 in the COSMOS field. We describe the MS relation by adopting a new model that incorporates a linear relation at low stellar mass (log(M */M ⊙) < 10) and a flattening at high stellar mass that becomes more prominent at low redshift (z < 1.5). We find that the SFR density peaks at 1.5 < z < 2, and at each epoch there is a characteristic stellar mass (M * = 1–4 × 1010 M ⊙) that contributes the most to the overall SFR density. This characteristic mass increases with redshift, at least to z ∼ 2.5. We find no significant evidence for variations in the MS relation for galaxies in different environments traced by the galaxy number density at 0.3 < z < 3, nor for galaxies in X-ray groups at z ∼ 0.75. We confirm that massive bulge-dominated galaxies have lower SFRs than disk-dominated galaxies at a fixed stellar mass at z < 1.2. As a consequence, the increase in bulge-dominated galaxies in the local star-forming population leads to a flattening of the MS at high stellar masses. This indicates that “mass quenching” is linked with changes in the morphological composition of galaxies at a fixed stellar mass.

Substructure Formation in a Protostellar Disk of L1527 IRS

Abstract We analyze multifrequency, high-resolution continuum data obtained by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and the Jansky Very Lary Array to study the detailed structure of the dust distribution in the infant disk of a Class 0/I source, L1527 IRS. We find three clumps aligning in the north–south direction in the 7 mm radio continuum image. The three clumps remain even after subtracting free–free contamination, which is estimated from the 1.3 cm continuum observations. The northern and southern clumps are located at a distance of ∼15 au from the central clump and are likely optically thick at 7 mm wavelength. The clumps have similar integrated intensities. The symmetric physical properties could be realized when a dust ring, or spiral arms, around the central protostar is projected to the plane of the sky. We demonstrate for the first time that such substructure may form even in the disk-forming stage, where the surrounding materials actively accrete toward a disk-protostar system.

Discovery of Millisecond Pulsars in the Globular Cluster Omega Centauri

Abstract The globular cluster Omega Centauri is the most massive and luminous cluster in the Galaxy. The γ-ray source FL8Y J1326.7–4729 is coincident with the core of the cluster, leading to speculation that hitherto unknown radio pulsars or annihilating dark matter may be present in the cluster core. Here we report on the discovery of five millisecond pulsars (MSPs) in Omega Centauri following observations with the Parkes radio telescope. Four of these pulsars are isolated with spin periods of 4.1, 4.2, 4.6, and 6.8 ms. The fifth has a spin period of 4.8 ms and is in an eclipsing binary system with an orbital period of 2.1 hr. Deep radio continuum images of the cluster center with the Australian Telescope Compact Array reveal a small population of compact radio sources, making it likely that other pulsars await discovery. We consider it highly likely that the MSPs are the source of the γ-ray emission. The long-term timing of these pulsars opens up opportunities to explore the dynamics and interstellar medium of the cluster.

The Age Evolution of the Radio Morphology of Supernova Remnants

Recent hydrodynamical models of supernova remnants (SNRs) demonstrate that their evolution depends heavily on the inhomogeneities of the surrounding medium. As SNRs expand, their morphologies are influenced by the non-uniform and turbulent structure of their environments, as reflected in their radio continuum emission. In this paper, we measure the asymmetries of 96 SNRs in radio continuum images from three surveys of the Galactic plane and compare these results to the SNRs' radii, which we use as a proxy for their age. We find that larger (older) SNRs are more elliptical/elongated and more mirror asymmetric than smaller (younger) SNRs, though the latter vary in their degrees of asymmetry. This result suggests that SNR shells become more asymmetric as they sweep up the interstellar medium (ISM), as predicted in hydrodynamical models of SNRs expanding in a multi-phase or turbulent ISM.

The ASKAP EMU Early Science Project: radio continuum survey of the Small Magellanic Cloud

ABSTRACT We present two new radio continuum images from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) survey in the direction of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). These images are part of the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) Early Science Project (ESP) survey of the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds. The two new source lists produced from these images contain radio continuum sources observed at 960 MHz (4489 sources) and 1320 MHz (5954 sources) with a bandwidth of 192 MHz and beam sizes of 30.0 × 30.0 arcsec2 and 16.3 × 15.1 arcsec2, respectively. The median root mean square (RMS) noise values are 186 $\mu$Jy beam−1 (960 MHz) and 165 $\mu$Jy beam−1 (1320 MHz). To create point source catalogues, we use these two source lists, together with the previously published Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) and the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) point source catalogues to estimate spectral indices for the whole population of radio point sources found in the survey region. Combining our ASKAP catalogues with these radio continuum surveys, we found 7736 point-like sources in common over an area of 30 deg2. In addition, we report the detection of two new, low surface brightness supernova remnant candidates in the SMC. The high sensitivity of the new ASKAP ESP survey also enabled us to detect the bright end of the SMC planetary nebula sample, with 22 out of 102 optically known planetary nebulae showing point-like radio continuum emission. Lastly, we present several morphologically interesting background radio galaxies.

A new study towards PSR J1826–1334 and PSR J1826–1256 in the region of HESS J1825–137 and HESS J1826–130

Aims. The goal of this paper is to detect synchrotron emission from the relic electrons of the crushed pulsar wind nebula (PWN) HESS J1825−137 and to investigate the origin of the γ-ray emission from HESS J1826−130. Methods. The study of HESS J1825−137 was carried out on the basis of new radio observations centred at the position of PSR J1826−1334 performed with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array at 1.4 GHz in configurations B and C. To investigate the nature of HESS J1826−130, we reprocessed unpublished archival data obtained with XMM-Newton. Results. The new radio continuum image towards PSR J1826−1334 reveals a bright radio source, with the pulsar located in its centre, which suggests that this feature could be the radio counterpart of the compact component of the PWN detected at high energy. The new 1.4 GHz radio data do not reveal emission with an extension comparable with that observed in γ-rays for the HESS J1825−137 source. On the other hand, the XMM-Newton study of the region including PSR J1826−1256 reveals an elongated non-thermal X-ray emitting nebula with the pulsar located in the northern border and a tail towards the peak of the very high energy source. The spectrum is characterized by a power law with a photon index going from 1.6 around the pulsar to 2.7 in the borders of the nebula, a behaviour consistent with synchrotron cooling of electrons. From our X-ray analysis we propose that HESS J1826−130 is likely produced by the PWN powered by PSR J1826−1256 via the inverse Compton mechanism.

Multipole Analysis of Radio Continuum Images of Supernova Remnants: Comparison of Type Ia and Core Collapse

A multipole expansion analysis is applied to 1420 MHz radio continuum images of supernova remnants (SNRs) in order to compare Type Ia and core collapse (CC) SNRs. Because the radio synchrotron emission is produced at the outer shock between the SNR and the ISM, we are investigating whether the ISM interaction of SNRs is different between Type Ia and CC SNRs. This is in contrast to previous investigations, which have shown that Type Ia and CC SNRs have different asymmetries in the X-ray emission from their ejecta. The sample consists of 19 SNRs which have been classified as either Type Ia or CC. The quadrupole and octupole moments normalized to their monopole moments (total emission) are used as a measure of asymmetry of the emission. A broad range (by a factor of ~1000) is found for both quadrupole and octupole normalized moments. The strongest correlation we find is that large quadrupole moments are associated with large octupole moments, indicating that both serve as similar indicators of asymmetry. The other correlation we find is that both moments increase with SNR age or radius. This indicates that interstellar medium structure is a strong contributor to asymmetries in the radio emission from SNRs. This does not seem to apply to molecular clouds, because we find that association of a SNR with a molecular cloud is not correlated with larger quadrupole or octupole moments.