Exploring the supernova remnant G308.4-1.4

TL;DR

This study confirms G308.4-1.4 as a shell-type supernova remnant through multi-wavelength observations, revealing its morphology, spectral properties, and potential compact remnant, and estimates its distance and age.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive multi-wavelength analysis confirming G308.4-1.4 as a supernova remnant and characterizes its physical and spectral properties for the first time.

Findings

G308.4-1.4 is a shell-type SNR with eastern emission only.

The X-ray emission is from an absorbed non-equilibrium plasma.

The remnant is located 6-12 kpc away and is 5000-7500 years old.

Abstract

Aims: We present a detailed X-ray and radio wavelength study of G308.4-1.4, a candidate supernova remnant (SNR) in the ROSAT All Sky Survey and the MOST supernova remnant catalogue, in order to identify it as a SNR. Methods: The SNR candidate and its central sources were studied using observations from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, SWIFT, the Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) at 1.4 and 2.5 GHz and WISE infrared observation at 24 $\mu$m. Results: We conclude that G308.4-1.4 is indeed a supernova remnant by means of its morphology matching at X-ray, radio and infrared wavelength, its spectral energy distribution in the X-ray band and its emission characteristics in the radio band. G308.4-1.4 is a shell-type SNR. X-ray, radio and infrared emission is seen only in the eastern part of the remnant. The X-ray emission can best be described by an absorbed non-equilibrium collisional plasma with a hydrogen density of $n_\mathrm{H}=(1.02\pm 0.04) \times 10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$, a plasma temperature of $6.3^{+1.2}_{-0.7}$ million Kelvin and an under-abundance of Iron, Neon and Magnesium, as well as an overabundance in Sulfur with respect to the solar values. The SNR has a spectral index in the radio band of $\alpha=-0.7\pm0.2$. A detailed analysis revealed that the remnant is at a distance of 6 to 12 kpc and the progenitor star exploded $\sim 5000$ to 7500 years ago. Two faint X-ray point sources located near to the remnant's geometrical center are detected. Both sources have no counterpart at other wavelengths, leaving them as candidates for the compact remnant of the supernova explosion.