Identification campaign of supernova remnant candidates in the Milky Way - I: Chandra observation of G308.3-1.4

TL;DR

This study confirms G308.3-1.4 as a supernova remnant through Chandra X-ray observations, revealing shell-like structures and identifying a potential compact binary, advancing the understanding of SNRs in the Milky Way.

Contribution

First detailed X-ray analysis of G308.3-1.4 confirming its status as a supernova remnant and identifying a candidate compact binary within it.

Findings

Shell-like X-ray structure correlates with radio emission.

Spectral analysis indicates shock-heated plasma.

Detection of a potential compact binary system.

Abstract

ROSAT all-sky survey (RASS) data have provided another window to search for supernova remnants (SNRs). In reexamining this data archive, a list of unidentified extended X-ray objects have been suggested as promising SNR candidate. However, most of these targets have not yet been fully explored by the state-of-art X-ray observatories. For selecting a pilot target for a long-term identification campaign, we have observed the brightest candidate, G308.3-1.4, with Chandra X-ray observatory. An incomplete shell-like X-ray structure which well-correlated with the radio shell emission at 843 MHz has been revealed. The X-ray spectrum suggests the presence of a shock-heated plasma. All these evidences confirm G308.3-1.4 as a SNR. The brightest X-ray point source detected in this field-of-view is also the one locates closest to the geometrical center of G308.3-1.4, which has a soft spectrum. The intriguing temporal variability and the identification of optical/infrared counterpart rule out the possibility of an isolated neutron star. On the other hand, the spectral energy distribution from Ks band to R band suggests a late-type star. Together with a putative periodicity of \sim1.4 hrs, the interesting excesses in V, B bands and H-alpha suggest this source as a promising candidate of a compact binary survived in a supernova explosion (SN).