Free access article

A&A 371, 675-697 (2001)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20010387

The Cygnus superbubble revisited

B. Uyaniker^{1, 2}, E. Fürst¹, W. Reich¹, B. Aschenbach³ and R. Wielebinski<sup>1

1</sup>  Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Postfach 2024, 53010 Bonn, Germany
²  Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Penticton, B.C., Canada V2A 6K3
³  Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Postfach 1603, 85740 Garching, Germany

(Received 18 January 2001 / Accepted 8 March 2001)

Abstract
The Orion local spiral arm is seen tangential towards the Cygnus region. Intense radio emission with quite a complex morphology is observed, which appears to be surrounded by strong soft X-ray emission. This remarkable X-ray structure is known as the Cygnus superbubble. We compare a recent 1.4 GHz radio continuum and polarization map from the Effelsberg 100-m telescope with X-ray data from the ROSAT all-sky survey of this area. Including available survey data of the infrared, HI and CO emission, we investigate a number of high latitude features, which are physically related to one of the Cygnus OB associations. These OB associations, however, are located along the local arm at different distances. Our results support the view that the Cygnus superbubble is not a physical unity, but results from a projection of unrelated X-ray emitting features at different distances blown out from the local arm seen along the line of sight.

Key words: ISM: Cygnus superbubble -- radio continuum: ISM -- X -- ray: ISM -- galaxy: structure

Offprint request: W. Reich, wreich@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de

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© ESO 2001

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