Issue |
A&A
Volume 543, July 2012
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | A154 | |
Number of page(s) | 7 | |
Section | Interstellar and circumstellar matter | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201218971 | |
Published online | 13 July 2012 |
Multi-frequency observations of SNR J0453–6829 in the LMC
A composite supernova remnant with a pulsar wind nebula
1 Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstraße, 85748 Garching, Germany
e-mail: fwh@mpe.mpg.de
2 University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW1797, Australia
3 Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Cassilla 603, La Serena, Chile
4 Institut für Astronomie und Astrophysik Tübingen, Sand 1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Received: 6 February 2012
Accepted: 21 June 2012
Context. The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is rich in supernova remnants (SNRs), which can be investigated in detail with radio, optical, and X-ray observations. SNR J0453–6829 is an X-ray and radio-bright remnant in the LMC, within which previous studies revealed the presence of a pulsar wind nebula (PWN), making it one of the most interesting SNRs in the Local Group of galaxies.
Aims. We study the emission of SNR J0453–6829 to improve our understanding of its morphology, spectrum, and thus the emission mechanisms in the shell and the PWN of the remnant.
Methods. We obtained new radio data with the Australia Telescope Compact Array and analysed archival XMM-Newton observations of SNR J0453–6829. We studied the morphology of SNR J0453–6829 from radio, optical, and X-ray images and investigated the energy spectra in the different parts of the remnant.
Results. Our radio results confirm that this LMC SNR hosts a typical PWN. The prominent central core of the PWN exhibits a radio spectral index αCore of −0.04 ± 0.04, while in the rest of the SNR shell the spectral slope is somewhat steeper with αShell = −0.43 ± 0.01. We detect regions with a mean polarisation of P ≅ (12 ± 4)% at 6 cm and (9 ± 2)% at 3 cm. The full remnant is of roughly circular shape with dimensions of (31 ± 1) pc × (29 ± 1) pc. The spectral analysis of the XMM-Newton EPIC and RGS spectra allowed us to derive physical parameters for the SNR. Somewhat depending on the spectral model, we obtain for the remnant a shock temperature of around 0.2 keV and estimate the dynamical age to 12 000–15 000 years. Using a Sedov model we further derive an electron density in the X-ray emitting material of 1.56 cm-3, typical for LMC remnants, a large swept-up mass of 830 M⊙, and an explosion energy of 7.6 × 1050 erg. These parameters indicate a well evolved SNR with an X-ray spectrum dominated by emission from the swept-up material.
Key words: ISM: supernova remnants / ISM: individual objects: SNR J0453-6829 / Magellanic Clouds
© ESO, 2012
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