XMM-Newton and VLA Observations of the Galactic Supernova Remnants G5.9+3.1, and G32.4+0.1
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Sophomore
Major
Physics
Institution
Morehead State University
KY House District #
99
KY Senate District #
27
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Dr. Thomas Pannuti
Department
Department of Earth and Space Science
Abstract
While nearly 300 supernova remnants (SNRs) are now known to exist in our Galaxy, only a tiny fraction of these sources have been studied in significant detail at multiple wavelengths. To remedy this situation and to improve our knowledge of general properties of SNRs and SNR-related phenomena, we are analyzing a sample of pointed archival X-ray observations made of poorly-studied Galactic SNRs with the XMM-Newton Observatory. We present here our analysis of two of the sources in our sample – G5.9+3.1 and G32.4+0.1 – for which we have obtained complementary archival radio observations made with the Murchison Widefield Array and the Very Large Array. Our initial analysis indicates that the X-ray emission from G5.9+3.1 is thermal in origin that varies widely in spectral properties across the angular extent across the SNR. In contrast, the X-ray emission from G32.4+0.1 appears to be synchrotron radiation from cosmic-ray electrons accelerated by the SNR.
XMM-Newton and VLA Observations of the Galactic Supernova Remnants G5.9+3.1, and G32.4+0.1
While nearly 300 supernova remnants (SNRs) are now known to exist in our Galaxy, only a tiny fraction of these sources have been studied in significant detail at multiple wavelengths. To remedy this situation and to improve our knowledge of general properties of SNRs and SNR-related phenomena, we are analyzing a sample of pointed archival X-ray observations made of poorly-studied Galactic SNRs with the XMM-Newton Observatory. We present here our analysis of two of the sources in our sample – G5.9+3.1 and G32.4+0.1 – for which we have obtained complementary archival radio observations made with the Murchison Widefield Array and the Very Large Array. Our initial analysis indicates that the X-ray emission from G5.9+3.1 is thermal in origin that varies widely in spectral properties across the angular extent across the SNR. In contrast, the X-ray emission from G32.4+0.1 appears to be synchrotron radiation from cosmic-ray electrons accelerated by the SNR.