Radio emission from the Cygnus Loop and its spectral characteristics^*

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 (), 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 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 and towards northern and southern parts of the object, respectively.