Astronomy & Astrophysics

Free access article

A&A 426, 909-924 (2004)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:200400040

Radio emission from the Cygnus Loop and its spectral characteristics

B. Uyaniker^{1, 2}, W. Reich¹, A. Yar^{1, 2} and E. Fürst¹

¹ Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany
e-mail: [uyaniker;wreich;aylin;efuerst]@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de
² National Research Council, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, PO Box 248, Penticton, British Columbia, V2A 6K3, Canada

(Received 3 December 2002 / Accepted 16 June 2004)

Abstract
We present a new sensitive 2675 MHz radio continuum map of the Cygnus Loop, which is used in conjunction with 408 MHz, 863 MHz and 1420 MHz maps from both the Effelsberg 100-m telescope and the DRAO Synthesis Telescope for a spectral analysis. Between 408 MHz and 2675 MHz we find an overall integrated spectral index of $\rm\alpha = -0.42 \pm 0.06$ ( $S\! \sim\! \nu^{\,\alpha}$ ), close to previous results. There is no indication of a spectral break in the integrated spectrum. Spatially highly varying and rather strong spectral curvature was previously reported, but is not confirmed on the basis of new, higher sensitivity observations. We found spectral variations across the Cygnus Loop reaching up to $\Delta\alpha = 0.2$ from a TT-plot analysis. The flattest spectra are seen towards enhanced emission areas. Spectral index maps produced between different frequency pairs, as well as all four maps, revealed that there are at least three flat spectrum regions. In regions interior to the high emission filaments, we have detected at least two spectral components across the whole object with $\alpha=-0.4$ and $\alpha=-0.6$ towards northern and southern parts of the object, respectively.

Key words: ISM: supernova remnants -- ISM: individual objects: Cygnus Loop -- radio continuum: ISM

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