HFPK 334: An unusual supernova remnant in the Small Magellanic Cloud
- University of Western Sydney (Australia)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States)
- Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstraße, D-85748 Garching (Germany)
We present new Australia Telescope Compact Array radio-continuum and XMM-Newton/Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of the unusual supernova remnant (SNR) HFPK 334 in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The remnant follows a shell-type morphology in the radio continuum and has a size of ∼20 pc at the SMC distance. The X-ray morphology is similar; however, we detect a prominent point source close to the center of the SNR exhibiting a spectrum with a best-fit power law with a photon index of Γ = 2.7 ± 0.5. This central point source is most likely a background object and cannot be directly associated with the remnant. The high temperature, nonequilibrium conditions in the diffuse region suggest that this gas has been recently shocked and points toward a younger SNR with an age of ≲ 1800 yr. With an average radio spectral index of α = –0.59 ± 0.09, we find that an equipartition magnetic field for the remnant is ∼90 μG, a value typical of younger SNRs in low-density environments. Also, we report the detection of scattered radio polarization across the remnant at 20 cm, with a peak fractional polarization level of 25% ± 5%.
- OSTI ID:
- 22342218
- Journal Information:
- Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Vol. 148, Issue 5; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1538-3881
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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