The radio spectrum and magnetic field structure of SNR HB3

TL;DR

This study provides new high-frequency observations of SNR HB3, showing no spectral flattening and revealing a consistent spectral index with lower frequencies, thus challenging previous claims of thermal bremsstrahlung emission.

Contribution

The paper presents the first reliable high-frequency (4800 MHz) measurements of HB3, confirming the spectral index and polarization structure, and refuting earlier suggestions of spectral flattening.

Findings

Spectral index of HB3 is -0.61±0.06 between 1408 MHz and 4800 MHz.

No evidence of spectral flattening at high frequencies.

Strong polarized emission with tangential magnetic field orientation detected.

Abstract

Evidence for a spectral flattening of the supernova remnant (SNR) HB3 (G132.7+1.3) was recently claimed in literature based on previously published total flux density data, and the flattening was further interpreted as the discovery of thermal bremsstrahlung emission in the shell of HB3. A spectral flattening has never been observed from any SNR before. Reliable observations of HB3 at frequencies above 3000 MHz are crucial to confirm such a spectral behaviour. We extracted 4800 MHz total intensity and polarisation data of HB3 from the Sino-German 6 cm polarisation survey of the Galactic plane made with the Urumqi 25 m telescope, and analysed the spectrum of HB3, together with Effelsberg data at 1408 MHz and 2675 MHz. We found an overall spectral index of HB3 of alpha=-0.61+-0.06 between 1408 MHz and 4800 MHz, similar to the index at lower frequencies. There is no spectral flattening at high frequencies. We detected strong polarised emission from HB3 at 4800 MHz. Our 4800 MHz data show a tangential field orientation in the HB3 shell.