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The radio remnant of Supernova 1987A at high frequencies and high resolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2014

G. Zanardo ,
L. Staveley-Smith ,
C. -Y. Ng ,
B. M. Gaensler ,
T. M. Potter ,
R. N. Manchester  and
A. K. Tzioumis
G. Zanardo
Affiliation:
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), M468, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. email: giovanna.zanardo@icrar.org
L. Staveley-Smith
Affiliation:
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), M468, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. email: giovanna.zanardo@icrar.org Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO)
C. -Y. Ng
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
B. M. Gaensler
Affiliation:
Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA), School of Physics, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO)
T. M. Potter
Affiliation:
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), M468, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. email: giovanna.zanardo@icrar.org
R. N. Manchester
Affiliation:
CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Australia Telescope National Facility, PO Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia
A. K. Tzioumis
Affiliation:
CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Australia Telescope National Facility, PO Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia
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Abstract

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As the remnant of Supernova (SN) 1987A has been getting brighter over time, new observations at high frequencies have allowed imaging of the radio emission at unprecedented detail. We present a new radio image at 44 GHz of the supernova remnant (SNR), derived from observations performed with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) in 2011. The diffraction-limited image has a resolution of 349×225 mas, which is the highest achieved to date in high-dynamic range images of the SNR. We also present a new image at 18 GHz, also derived from ATCA observations performed in 2011, which is super-resolved to 0″.25. The new 44 and 18 GHz images yield the first high-resolution spectral index map of the remnant. The comparison of the 44 GHz image with contemporaneous X-ray and Hα observations allows further investigations of the nature of the remnant asymmetry and sheds more light into the progenitor hypotheses and SN explosion. In light of simple free-free absorption models, we discuss the likelihood of detecting at 44 GHz the possible emission originating from a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) or a compact source in the centre of the remnant.

Keywords

circumstellar matterISM: supernova remnantsradio continuum: generalsupernovae: individual (SN 1987A)acceleration of particlesradiation mechanisms: nonthermal
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 9 , Symposium S296: Supernova Environmental Impacts , January 2013 , pp. 23 - 26
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2014 

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