Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Apr 1994
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994pasau..11q..79g&link_type=abstract
Astronomical Society of Australia, Proceedings, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 79
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Galactic Structure, Image Analysis, Radio Sources (Astronomy), Sky Surveys (Astronomy), Supernova Remnants, Faint Objects, Flux Density, Mosaics, Nonthermal Radiation, Pulsars, Radio Astronomy
Scientific paper
The southern Galactic Plane has been observed with the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) at a frequency of 843 MHz and a resolution of 43 sec. The area covered by the survey is l less than or equal to between 245 and 355 degs, absolute value of B less than or equal to 1.5 deg and the project has taken 10 years to complete (1983 to 1993). Nearly 700 individual fields have been observed and analysis to calibrate, clean and mosaic the images is proceeding. All previously identified supernova remnants (SNRs) within the survey have been imaged to provide a complete set. Several lapsed identifications have been reinstated and two candidates have been rejected because of confusion in earlier studies. To date, 20 new SNR candidates have been identified along with an equal number of possible remnants. Sources have been classified as SNRs from characteristic shell structure and by comparison with 60 micrometers images from the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) survey. The ratio of 60 micrometers to 843 MHz flux density is significantly different for thermal and non-thermal sources. The MOST is able to show large, faint objects in great detail and as a low frequency instrument, it is particularly well suited to imaging non-thermal sources. It is not sensitive to scale sizes larger than approximately 30 min. The new identifications extend the SNR distribution to significantly fainter brightness limits (Whiteoak and Green, in preparation). So far the search for new SNRs has been limited to a minimum source diameter of approximately 4 min (about 5 beamwidths). Statistical work on a limited section of the survey show approximately 20% of the unresolved sources are Galactic, and approximately 30% of the Galactic component are compact thermal sources (Whiteoak, 1993, PhD thesis, Univeristy of Sydney). Northern hemisphere searches for small-diameter SNRs have not found many candidates. Similar searches will be made on the southern survey. Five preliminary 3 x 3 deg mosaics were shown which are particularly rich in SNRs. Known pulsars in the fields were noted, some of which have continuum sources visible. Some of the SNRs are composite and at least two have possible pulsar associations.
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