Grondin MH, Sasaki M, Haberl F, Pietsch W, Crawford EJ, Filipovic MD, Bozzetto LM, Points S, Smith RC (2012)
Publication Status: Published
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2012
Publisher: EDP SCIENCES S A
Book Volume: 539
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201117881
Context. The high sensitivity of the XMM-Newton instrumentation offers
the opportunity to study faint and extended sources in the Milky Way and
nearby galaxies such as the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) in detail. The
ROSAT PSPC survey of the LMC has revealed more than 700 X-ray sources,
among which there are 46 supernova remnants (SNRs) and candidates.
Aims: We have observed the field around one of the most promising SNR
candidates in the ROSAT PSPC catalogue, labelled [HP99] 456 with
XMM-Newton, to determine its nature.
Methods: We investigated the
XMM-Newton data along with new radio-continuum, near infrared and
optical data. In particular, spectral and morphological studies of the
X-ray and radio data were performed.
Results: The X-ray images
obtained in different energy bands reveal two different structures.
Below 1.0 keV the X-ray emission shows the shell-like morphology of an
SNR with a diameter of ~73 pc, one of the largest known in the LMC. For
its thermal spectrum we estimate an electron temperature of (0.49 ±
0.12) keV assuming non-equilibrium ionisation. The X-ray images above
1.0 keV reveal a less extended source within the SNR emission, located
1' west of the centre of the SNR and coincident with bright point
sources detected in radio-continuum. This hard component has an extent
of 0.9' (i.e. ~13 pc at a distance of ~50 kpc) and a non-thermal
spectrum. The hard source coincides in position with the ROSAT source
[HP99] 456 and shows an indication for substructure.
Conclusions:
We firmly identify a new SNR in the LMC with a shell-like morphology and
a thermal spectrum. Assuming the SNR to be in the Sedov phase yields an
age of ~23 kyr. We explore possible associations of the hard
non-thermal emitting component with a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) or
background active galactic nucleus (AGN).
APA:
Grondin, M.-H., Sasaki, M., Haberl, F., Pietsch, W., Crawford, E.J., Filipovic, M.D.,... Smith, R.C. (2012). XMMU J0541.8-6659, a new supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 539. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201117881
MLA:
Grondin, M. -H., et al. "XMMU J0541.8-6659, a new supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud." Astronomy & Astrophysics 539 (2012).
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