arXiv subjects

E. Giacani

Publications and source records attributed to E. Giacani.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

First high-resolution radio study of the Supernova Remnant G338.3-0.0 associated with the gamma-ray source HESS J1640-465

We report on a multifrequency radio study of the supernova remnant (SNR) G338.3-0.0, in positional coincidence with the TeV source HESS J1640-465. To carry out this research we observed the SNR G338.3-0.0 using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at 235, 610, and 1280 MHz. We also reprocessed archival data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) at 1290 and 2300 MHz. Also we conducted a search for radio pulsations towards a central point-like source, using the GMRT antennas at 610 and 1280 MHz. The molecular material in the region of the SNR was investigated based on observations made with the NANTEN telescope in the 12^CO (J=1-0) emission line. The new radio observations revealed a remnant with a bilateral morphology, which at 235 MHz has the western wing completely attenuated because of absorption due to foreground ionized gas. The quality of the new images allows us to provide accurate estimates for the total radio flux density of the whole SNR at different radio frequencies. From the new and existing flux density estimates between 235 and 5000 MHz we derived for the whole remnant a spectral index alpha=-0.51 +/-0.06 with a local free-free continuum optical depth at 235 MHz tau_{235}=0.9+/-0.3. No radio pulsations were detected towards the only radio point-like source within the HESS error circle. We derived upper limits of 2.0 and 1.0 mJy at 610 and 1280 MHz, respectively, for the pulsed flux towards this source. No radio counterpart was found for the pulsar wind nebula discovered in X-rays. The inspection of the interstellar molecular gas towards G338.3-0.0 and surroundings revealed that there is not any associated dense cloud that might explain a hadronic origin for the TeV detection.

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arXiv2011

Study of the dense molecular gas surrounding the "Extended Green Object" G35.03+0.35

We present the results of a new study of the molecular gas associated with the "extended green object" (EGO) G35.03+0.35. This object, very likely a massive young stellar object, is embedded in a molecular cloud at the border of an HII region. The observations were performed with the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) in the 12CO and 13CO J=3-2, HCO+ J=4-3, and CS J=7-6 lines with an angular resolution about 22". From the 12CO J=3-2 line we discovered outflowing activity of the massive young stellar object. We obtained a total mass and kinetic energy for the outflows of 30 M_sun and 3000 M_sun (km/s)^2 (6 x 10^{46} ergs), respectively. We discovered a HCO+ and CS clump towards the EGO G35.03+0.35. The detection of these molecular species supports the presence of molecular outflows and a dense molecular envelope with temperatures and densities above 40 K and 6 x 10^{6} cm^{-3}, respectively. Using public near- and mid-IR, and sub-mm data we investigated the spectral energy distribution confirming that EGO G35.03+0.35 is a massive young stellar object at the earliest evolutionary stage (i.e. a class I young stellar object). By anlysing radio continuum archival data we found three radio sources towards the object, suggesting the presence of several young stellar objects in the region. Our radio continuum analysis is consistent with the presence of at least one ultracompact HII region and an hypercompact HII region or a constant-velocity ionized wind source.

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arXiv2011

Study of the molecular clump associated with the high-energy source HESS J1858+020

HESS J1858+020 is a weak gamma-ray source lying near the southern border of the SNR G35.6-0.4. A molecular cloud, composed by two clumps, shows signs of interaction with the SNR and with a nearby extended HII region. In particular, the southernmost clump coincides with the center of the HESS source. In this work we study this clump in detail with the aim of adding information that helps in the identification of the nature of the very-high energy emission. We observed the mentioned molecular clump using the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) in the 12CO J=3-2, 13CO J=3-2, HCO+ J=4-3 and CS J=7-6 lines with an angular resolution of 22". To complement this observations we analyzed IR and submillimeter continuum archival data. From the 12CO and 13CO J=3-2 lines and the 1.1 mm continuum emission we derived a density of between 10^{3} and 10^{4} cm^-3 for the clump. We discovered a young stellar object (YSO), probably a high mass protostar, embedded in the molecular clump. However, we did not observe any evidence of molecular outflows from this YSO which would reveal the presence of a thermal jet capable of generating the observed gamma-rays. We conclude that the most probable origin for the TeV gamma-ray emission are the hadronic interactions between the molecular gas and the cosmic rays accelerated by the shock front of the SNR G35.6-0.4.

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arXiv2009

Identifying the counterpart of HESS J1858+020

HESS J1858+020 is a weak gamma-ray source that does not have any clear cataloged counterpart at any wavelengths. Recently, the source G35.6-0.4 was re-identified as a SNR. The HESS source lies towards the southern border of this remnant. The purpose of this work is to investigate the interstellar medium around the mentioned sources in order to look for possible counterparts of the very-high energy emission. Using the 13CO J=1-0 line from the Galactic Ring Survey and mid-IR data from GLIMPSE we analyze the environs of HESS J1858+020 and SNR G35.6-0.4. The 13CO data show the presence of a molecular cloud towards the southern border of SNR G35.6-0.4 and at the same distance as the remnant. This cloud is composed by two molecular clumps, one, over the SNR shell and the other located at the center of HESS J1858+020. We estimate a molecular mass and a density of ~ 5 X 10^{3} Msun and ~ 500 cm^{-3}, respectively for each clump. Considering the gamma-ray flux observed towards HESS J1858+020, we estimate that a molecular cloud with a density of at least 150 cm^{-3} could explain the very-high energy emission hadronically. Thus, we suggest that the gamma-ray emission detected in HESS J1858+020 is due to hadronic mechanism. Additionally, analyzing mid-IR emission, we find that the region is active in star formation, which could be considered as an alternative or complementary possibility to explain the very-high energy emission.

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arXiv2009

Radio and X-ray study of two multi-shell Supernova Remnants: Kes79 and G352.7-0.1

We investigate two multi-shell galactic supernova remnants (SNRs), Kes79 and G352.7-0.1, to understand the causes of such morphology. The research was carried out based on new and reprocessed archival VLA observations and XMM-Newton archival data. The surrounding was investigated based on data extracted from the HI Canadian Galactic Plane Survey, the 13^CO Galactic Ring Survey and the HI Southern Galactic Plane Survey. The present study revealed that the overall morphology of both SNRs is the result of the mass-loss history of their respective progenitor stars. Kes79 would be the product of the gravitational collapse of a massive O9 star evolving near a molecular cloud and within the precursor's wind-driven bubble, while G352.7-0.1 would be the result of interactions of the SNR with an asymmetric wind from the progenitor together with projection effects. No radio point source or pulsar wind nebula was found associated with the X-ray pulsar CXOU J185238.6+004020 in Kes79. The X-ray study of G352.7-0.1, on its hand, revealed that most of the thermal X-ray radiation completely fills in the interior of the remnant and originates in heated ejecta. Characteristic parameters, like radio flux, radio spectral index, age, distance, shock velocity, initial energy and luminosity, were estimated for both SNRs.

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arXiv2009

A joint spectro-imaging analysis of the XMM-Newton and HESS observations of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946

The supernova remnant (SNR) RX J1713.7-3946 (also known as G347.3-0.5) is part of the class of remnants dominated by synchrotron emission in X-rays. It is also one of the few shell-type SNRs observed at TeV energies allowing to investigate particle acceleration at SNRs shock. Our goal is to compare spatial and spectral properties of the remnant in X- and gamma-rays to understand the nature of the TeV emission. This requires to study the remnant at the same spatial scale at both energies. To complement the non-thermal spectrum of the remnant, we attempt to provide a reliable estimate for the radio flux density. In radio, we revisited ATCA data and used HI and mid-infrared observations to disentangle the thermal from the non-thermal emission. In X-rays, we produced a new mosaic of the remnant and degraded the spatial resolution of the X-ray data to the resolution of the HESS instrument to perform spatially resolved spectroscopy at the same spatial scale in X- and gamma-rays. Radial profiles were obtained to investigate the extension of the emission at both energies. We found that part of the radio emission within the SNR contours is thermal in nature. Taking this into account, we provide new lower and upper limits for the integrated synchrotron flux of the remnant at 1.4 GHz of 22 Jy and 26 Jy respectively. In X-rays, we obtained the first full coverage of RX J1713.7-3946 with XMM-Newton. The spatial variation of the photon index seen at small scale in X-rays is smeared out at HESS resolution. A non-linear correlation between the X- and gamma-ray fluxes of the type Fx \propto Fg^2.41 is found.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2005

The interior of the SNR RX J0852.0-4622 (Vela Jr) at radio wavelengths

Aim: We observed the center of the supernova remnant Vela Jr in radio continuum in order to search for a counterpart to the compact central X-ray source CXOU J085201.4-461753, possibly a neutron star candidate which could be the remnant of the supernova explosion. Method: Observations were made with the Australia Telescope Compact Array at 13 and 20 cm. Spectral indices were obtained using flux density correlations of the data which were spatially filtered to have the same u-v coverage. A multiwavelength search for counterparts to the compact central X-ray source was made. Results: We compiled a new catalogue of 31 small diameter radio sources, including the previously known source PMN J0853-4620, listing the integrated flux densities at 20 cm and, for half of the sources, the flux densities at 13 cm with the corresponding spectral indices. All sources are unresolved at the present angular resolution except for Source 18, which is clearly elongated and lies strikingly close to CXOU J085201.4-461753. Our observations show no evidence for the existence of a pulsar wind driven nebula associated with the point X-ray source. Furthermore, Source 18 has a thermal spectrum with index +0.8 +/- 0.4, and appears to be the counterpart of the optical source Wray 16-30. In spite of the absence of OIII emission lines as reported in the literature, we find that this object could be explained as a low emission planetary nebula belonging to the ``butterfly'' morphological class. Conclusions: We conclude that if the radio source 18 is actually a planetary nebula, then CXOU J085201.4-461753 is more likely to be related to it rather than to Vela Jr.

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arXiv2005

Radio and X-Ray Emission Associated with the Supernova Remnant G352.7-0.1

We report on new VLA radio and XMM-Newton X-ray observations of the SNR G352.7-0.1. These high sensitivity, high resolution data reveal that G352.7-0.1 belongs to the thermal composite morphological class. Small scale structures in radio and X-ray emission are not always correlated and are different for the different X-rays bands examined. The distance to G352.7-0.1 can be constrained between 6.6 and 8.4 kpc. The study of the HI suggests that G352.7-0.1 is located within a cavity probably created by the stellar wind of the precursor star.

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arXiv2005

G0.57-0.018: A young supernova remnant? INTEGRAL and VLA observations

We report INTEGRAL/IBIS gamma-ray and VLA radio observations of G0.570-0.018, a diffuse X-ray source recently discovered by ASCA and Chandra in the Galactic center region. Based on its spectrum and morphology, G0.570-0.018 has been proposed to be a very young supernova remnant. In this scenario, the presence of gamma-ray lines coming from the short-lived radioactive nucleus 44Ti as well as synchrotron radio continuum emission are expected. The first could provide informations on nucleosynthesis environments in the interior of exploding stars, the latter could probe the interaction between the supernova blast wave and the circumstellar/interstellar matter. We have not detected 44Ti lines nor any conspicuous radio feature associated with this source down to the achieved sensitivities. From the derived upper limits we set constraints on the nature of G0.570-0.018.

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arXiv2005

The neutral gas in the environs of the Geminga gamma-ray pulsar

We present a high-resolution (24 arcsec) study of the HI interstellar gas distribution around the radio-quiet neutron star Geminga. Based on Very Large Array (VLA) and MPIfR Effelsberg telescope data, we analyzed a 40' x 40' field around Geminga. These observations have revealed the presence of a neutral gas shell, 0.4 pc in radius, with an associated HI mass of 0.8 Msun, which surrounds Geminga at a radial velocity compatible with the kinematical distance of the neutron star. In addition, morphological agreement is observed between the internal face of the HI shell and the brightest structure of Geminga's tail observed in X-rays.We explore the possibility that this morphological agreement is the result of a physical association.

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arXiv2004

XMM-Newton observations of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946 and its central source

We present new results coming from the observations of the supernova remnant (SNR) RX J1713.7--3946 (also G347.3--0.5) performed in five distinct pointings with the EPIC instrument on board the satellite XMM-Newton. RX J1713.7--3946 is a shell-type SNR dominated by synchrotron radiation in the X-rays. Its emission (emission measure and photon index) as well as the absorption along the line-of-sight has been characterized over the entire SNR. The X-ray mapping of the absorbing column density has revealed strong well constrained variations (0.4 10^22 cm^-2 < NH < 1.1 10^22 cm^-2) and, particularly, a strong absorption in the southwest. Moreover, there are several clues indicating that the shock front of RX J1713.7--3946 is impacting the clouds responsible for the absorption as revealed for instance by the positive correlation between X-ray absorption and X-ray brightness along the western rims. The CO and HI observations show that the inferred cumulative absorbing column densities are in excellent agreement with the X-ray findings in different places of the remnant on condition that the SNR lies at a distance of 1.3 +/- 0.4 kpc, probably in the Sagittarius galactic arm, instead of the commonly accepted value of 6 kpc. An excess in the CO emission is found in the southwest suggesting that the absorption is due to molecular clouds. A search for OH masers in the southwestern region has been unsuccessful, possibly due to the low density of the clouds. The X-ray mapping of the photon index has also revealed strong variations (1.8 < Gamma < 2.6). [See the article for the entire abstract]

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arXiv2001

Environs of Bilateral Supernova Remnants with Neutron Stars

We report on Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) HI observations carried out in the direction of bilateral supernova remnants (SNRs) with associated neutron stars: G296.5+10.0 and G320.4--1.2, in a search for the origin of such morphology. From these studies we conclude that in the case of G296.5+10.0, located far from the Galactic plane, the HI distribution has not influenced the present morphology of the SNR. In the case of G320.4--1.2, evolving in a denser medium, the combined action of the central pulsar, PSR B1509-58, with the peculiar distribution of the surrounding medium, has determined the observed characteristics of the SNR.

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arXiv2001

Pulsar wind nebulae around the southern pulsars PSR B1643-43 and PSR B1706-44

We present high resolution VLA images taken at the wavelengths of lambda 20 cm, lambda 6 cm, and lambda 3.6 cm in the vicinity of the pulsars PSR B1706-44 (PSR J1709-4428) and PSR B1643-43 (PSR J1646-4346). Both of these pulsars are young (<30,000 yrs) and have large spin-down luminosities (e+35 erg/sec) and hence are good candidates to search for extended synchrotron nebula excited by the relativistic pulsar wind. For PSR B1643-43 we found evidences of a 4'comet-shaped nebula, suggestive of a synchrotron ``wake'' left by a fast moving pulsar. PSR B1706-44 appears surrounded by a spherical nebula approximately 3 ' in diameter. Based on their morphology, the detection of significant linear polarization (>20%), and their flat radio spectra (alpha=0.25-0.3, where S_nu aprox nu^-alpha) we argue that these are wind nebulae powered by the rotational energy loss of the respective pulsars.

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