A survey of hydroxyl toward supernova remnants: Evidence for extended 1720 MHz maser emission

J. W. Hewitt; F. Yusef-Zadeh; M. Wardle

doi:10.1086/588652

A survey of hydroxyl toward supernova remnants: Evidence for extended 1720 MHz maser emission

J. W. Hewitt, F. Yusef-Zadeh, M. Wardle

Physics and Astronomy

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58 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the results of GBT observations of all four ground-state hydroxyl (OH) transitions toward 15 supernova remnants (SNRs) which show OH (1720 MHz) maser emission. This species of maser is well established as an excellent tracer of an ongoing interaction between the SNR and dense molecular material. For the majority of these objects we detect significantly higher flux densities with a single dish than have been reported with interferometric observations. We infer that spatially extended, low-level maser emission is a common phenomenon that traces the large-scale interaction in maser-emitting SNRs. In addition, we use a collisional pumping model to fit the physical conditions under which OH is excited behind the SNR shock front. We find the observed OH gas associated with the SNR interaction having columns ^N_OH ≤ 1:5 × 10¹⁷ cm^-2, temperatures of 20-125 K, and densities ∼10⁵ cm^-3.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	189-206
Number of pages	18
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	683
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/588652
State	Published - Aug 10 2008

Keywords

ISM: clouds
Masers
Radio lines: ISM
Shock waves
Supernova remnants

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/588652

Cite this

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title = "A survey of hydroxyl toward supernova remnants: Evidence for extended 1720 MHz maser emission",

abstract = "We present the results of GBT observations of all four ground-state hydroxyl (OH) transitions toward 15 supernova remnants (SNRs) which show OH (1720 MHz) maser emission. This species of maser is well established as an excellent tracer of an ongoing interaction between the SNR and dense molecular material. For the majority of these objects we detect significantly higher flux densities with a single dish than have been reported with interferometric observations. We infer that spatially extended, low-level maser emission is a common phenomenon that traces the large-scale interaction in maser-emitting SNRs. In addition, we use a collisional pumping model to fit the physical conditions under which OH is excited behind the SNR shock front. We find the observed OH gas associated with the SNR interaction having columns NOH ≤ 1:5 × 1017 cm-2, temperatures of 20-125 K, and densities ∼105 cm-3.",

keywords = "ISM: clouds, Masers, Radio lines: ISM, Shock waves, Supernova remnants",

author = "Hewitt, {J. W.} and F. Yusef-Zadeh and M. Wardle",

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doi = "10.1086/588652",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A survey of hydroxyl toward supernova remnants

T2 - Evidence for extended 1720 MHz maser emission

AU - Hewitt, J. W.

AU - Yusef-Zadeh, F.

AU - Wardle, M.

PY - 2008/8/10

Y1 - 2008/8/10

N2 - We present the results of GBT observations of all four ground-state hydroxyl (OH) transitions toward 15 supernova remnants (SNRs) which show OH (1720 MHz) maser emission. This species of maser is well established as an excellent tracer of an ongoing interaction between the SNR and dense molecular material. For the majority of these objects we detect significantly higher flux densities with a single dish than have been reported with interferometric observations. We infer that spatially extended, low-level maser emission is a common phenomenon that traces the large-scale interaction in maser-emitting SNRs. In addition, we use a collisional pumping model to fit the physical conditions under which OH is excited behind the SNR shock front. We find the observed OH gas associated with the SNR interaction having columns NOH ≤ 1:5 × 1017 cm-2, temperatures of 20-125 K, and densities ∼105 cm-3.

AB - We present the results of GBT observations of all four ground-state hydroxyl (OH) transitions toward 15 supernova remnants (SNRs) which show OH (1720 MHz) maser emission. This species of maser is well established as an excellent tracer of an ongoing interaction between the SNR and dense molecular material. For the majority of these objects we detect significantly higher flux densities with a single dish than have been reported with interferometric observations. We infer that spatially extended, low-level maser emission is a common phenomenon that traces the large-scale interaction in maser-emitting SNRs. In addition, we use a collisional pumping model to fit the physical conditions under which OH is excited behind the SNR shock front. We find the observed OH gas associated with the SNR interaction having columns NOH ≤ 1:5 × 1017 cm-2, temperatures of 20-125 K, and densities ∼105 cm-3.

KW - ISM: clouds

KW - Masers

KW - Radio lines: ISM

KW - Shock waves

KW - Supernova remnants

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U2 - 10.1086/588652

DO - 10.1086/588652

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SP - 189

EP - 206

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

ER -

A survey of hydroxyl toward supernova remnants: Evidence for extended 1720 MHz maser emission

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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