arXiv subjects

Crystal Brogan

Publications and source records attributed to Crystal Brogan.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

A Chandra Observation of Supernova Remnant G350.1-0.3 and Its Central Compact Object

We present a new Chandra observation of supernova remnant (SNR) G350.1-0.3. The high resolution X-ray data reveal previously unresolved filamentary structures and allow us to perform detailed spectroscopy in the diffuse regions of this SNR. Spectral analysis demonstrates that the region of brightest emission is dominated by hot, metal-rich ejecta while the ambient material along the perimeter of the ejecta region and throughout the remnant's western half is mostly low-temperature, shocked interstellar/circumstellar medium (ISM/CSM) with solar-type composition. The data reveal that the emission extends far to the west of the ejecta region and imply a lower limit of 6.6 pc on the diameter of the source (at a distance of 4.5 kpc). We show that G350.1-0.3 is likely in the free expansion (ejecta-dominated) stage and calculate an age of 600-1200 years. The derived relationship between the shock velocity and the electron/proton temperature ratio is found to be entirely consistent with that of other SNRs. We perform spectral fits on the X-ray source XMMU J172054.5-372652, a candidate central compact object (CCO), and find that its spectral properties fall within the typical range of other CCOs. We also present archival 24 um data of G350.1-0.3 taken with the Spitzer Space Telescope during the MIPSGAL galactic survey and find that the infrared and X-ray morphologies are well-correlated. These results help to explain this remnant's peculiar asymmetries and shed new light on its dynamics and evolution.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

VLA and ATCA Search for Natal Star Clusters in Nearby Star-Forming Galaxies

In order to investigate the relationship between the local environment and the properties of natal star clusters, we obtained radio observations of 25 star-forming galaxies within 20 Mpc using the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). Natal star-forming regions can be identified by their characteristic thermal radio emission, which is manifest in their spectral index at centimeter wavelengths. The host galaxies in our sample were selected based upon their likelihood of harboring young star formation. In star-forming regions, the ionizing flux of massive embedded stars powers the dominant thermal free-free emission of those sources, resulting in a spectral index of α {\gtrsim} -0.2 (where Sν {\propto} να), which we compute. With the current sensitivity, we find that of the 25 galaxies in this sample only five have radio sources with spectral indices that are only consistent with a thermal origin; four have radio sources that are only consistent with a non-thermal origin; six have radio sources whose nature is ambiguous due to uncertainties in the spectral index; and sixteen have no detected radio sources. For those sources that appear to be dominated by thermal emission, we infer the ionizing flux of the star clusters and the number of equivalent O7.5 V stars that are required to produce the observed radio flux densities. The most radio-luminous clusters that we detect have an equivalent of ~7x103 O7.5 V stars, and the smallest only have an equivalent of ~102 O7.5 V stars; thus these star-forming regions span the range of large OB-associations to moderate "super star clusters" (SSCs). With the current detection limits, we also place upper limits on the masses of clusters that could have recently formed...

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2010

The Deepest Radio Study of the Pulsar Wind Nebula G21.5-0.9: Still No Evidence for the Supernova Shell

We report on sensitive new 1.4-GHz VLA radio observations of the pulsar wind nebula G21.5-0.9, powered by PSR J1833-1034, and its environs. Our observations were targeted at searching for the radio counterpart of the shell-like structure seen surrounding the pulsar wind nebula in X-rays. Some such radio emission might be expected as the ejecta from the <~ 1000 yr old supernova expand and interact with the surrounding medium. We find, however, no radio emission from the shell, and can place a conservative 3-sigma upper limit on its 1-GHz surface brightness of 7 x 10^-22 W/m^2/Hz/sr, comparable to the lowest limits obtained for radio emission from shells around other pulsar-wind nebulae. Our widefield radio image also shows the presence of two extended objects of low-surface brightness. We re-examine previous 327-MHz images, on which both the new objects are visible. We identify the first, G21.64-0.84, as a new shell-type supernova remnant, with a diameter of ~13' and an unusual double-shell structure. The second, G21.45-0.59, ~1' in diameter, is likely an HII region.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2010

Water Masers Associated with Star Formation in the Antennae Galaxies

We present Very Large Array observations with 80 milliarcsecond resolution (~9 pc) of the recently discovered Galactic-analog water masers in the Antennae interacting galaxies (NGC 4038/NGC 4039; Arp244). Three regions of water maser emission are detected: two in the ``interaction region'' (IAR) and the third ~5.6'' (> 600 pc) west of the NGC 4039 nucleus. The isotropic water maser luminosities range from 1.3 to 7.7 L_sun. All three maser regions are mostly obscured in the optical/near-infrared continuum, and are coincident with massive CO-identified molecular clouds. The water maser velocities are in excellent agreement with those of the molecular gas. We also present archival VLA 3.6 cm data with ~0.28" (~30 pc) and ~0.8" (~90 pc) resolution toward the maser locations. All three maser regions are coincident with compact 3.6 cm radio continuum emission, and two are dominated by thermal ionized gas, suggesting the presence of natal super star clusters containing the equivalent of a few thousand O stars. We also present detailed comparisons between the radio data and existing HST ACS (optical) and NICMOS (near-IR) data and find that both maser regions in the IAR are also associated with Paαemission and neither source is detected shortward of 2 microns. These results highlight the potential of using Galactic-analog water masers to pinpoint sites of young super star cluster formation with exquisite angular resolution.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Young stellar clusters and star formation throughout the Galaxy

Most stars are born in rich young stellar clusters (YSCs) embedded in giant molecular clouds. The most massive stars live out their short lives there, profoundly influencing their natal environments by ionizing HII regions, inflating wind-blown bubbles, and soon exploding as supernovae. Thousands of lower-mass pre-main sequence stars accompany the massive stars, and the expanding HII regions paradoxically trigger new star formation as they destroy their natal clouds. While this schematic picture is established, our understanding of the complex astrophysical processes involved in clustered star formation have only just begun to be elucidated. The technologies are challenging, requiring both high spatial resolution and wide fields at wavelengths that penetrate obscuring molecular material and remove contaminating Galactic field stars. We outline several important projects for the coming decade: the IMFs and structures of YSCs; triggered star formation around YSC; the fate of OB winds; the stellar populations of Infrared Dark Clouds; the most massive star clusters in the Galaxy; tracing star formation throughout the Galactic Disk; the Galactic Center region and YSCs in the Magellanic Clouds. Programmatic recommendations include: developing a 30m-class adaptive optics infrared telescope; support for high-resolution and wide field X-ray telescopes; large-aperture sub-millimeter and far-infrared telescopes; multi-object infrared spectrographs; and both numerical and analytical theory.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2008

Ubiquitous Water Masers in Nearby Star-Forming Galaxies

We report the detection of water maser emission from four nearby galaxies hosting ultradense HII (UDHII) regions, He 2-10, the Antennae galaxies (NGC 4038/4039), NGC 4214, and NGC 5253, with the Green Bank Telescope. Our detection rate is 100%, and all of these H2O "kilomasers" (L(H2O) < 10 L_sun) are located toward regions of known star formation as traced by UDHII regions and bright 24 micron emission. Some of the newly discovered H2O masers have luminosities 1-2 orders of magnitude less than previous extragalactic studies and the same order of magnitude as those typical of Galactic massive star-forming regions. The unusual success of this minisurvey suggests that H2O maser emission may be very common in starburst galaxies, and the paucity of detections to date is due to a lack of sufficient sensitivity. While the galaxy sample was selected by the presence of UDHII regions, and the UDHII regions lie within the telescope beam, in the absence of H2O spectral line maps the connection between H2O masers and UDHII regions has not yet been demonstrated.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Ain't No Crab, PWN Got A Brand New Bag: Correlated radio and X-ray Structures in Pulsar Wind Nebulae

The traditional view of radio pulsar wind nebulae (PWN), encouraged by the Crab nebula's X-ray and radio morphologies, is that they are a result of the integrated history of their pulsars' wind. The radio emission should therefore be largely unaffected by recent pulsar activity, and hence minimally correlated with structures in the X-ray nebulae. Observations of several PWN, both stationary (sPWN) and rapidly moving (rPWN), now show clear morphological relationships between structures in the radio and X-ray with radio intensity variations on the order of unity. We present high-resolution X-ray and radio images of several PWN of both types and discuss the morphological relationships between the two wavebands.

astro-ph↗