Physical Nature of the [S II]-Bright Shell Nebulae N70 and N185

TL;DR

This study uses X-ray and spectroscopic data to analyze the physical nature of two large shell nebulae in the LMC, revealing N70 as a likely recent superbubble energized by an SNR and N185 as an evolved SNR.

Contribution

The paper provides the first detailed X-ray and spectroscopic analysis of N70 and N185, clarifying their nature as a superbubble and an SNR, respectively.

Findings

N70 is likely a superbubble recently energized by an interior SNR.

N185 is consistent with being an evolved supernova remnant.

Both nebulae exhibit thermal X-ray spectra with plasma around 0.2 keV.

Abstract

N70 and N185 are two large ($\ge$100 pc in diameter) shell nebulae in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Their high [\ion{S}{2}]/H$\alpha$ ratios rival those of supernova remnants (SNRs), but they are not confirmed as SNRs. To study their physical nature, we have obtained \emph{XMM-Newton} X-ray observations and high-dispersion long-slit echelle spectroscopic observations of these two nebulae. The X-ray spectra of both nebulae can be well interpreted with an optically thin thermal ($\sim$0.2 keV) plasma with the average LMC abundance in a collisional ionization equilibrium. N70 encompasses the OB association LH114. Although N70 has a modest expansion velocity and essentially thermal radio emission, its diffuse X-ray luminosity ($\sim6.1\times10^{35}$ erg s$^{-1}$) is higher than that from a quiescent superbubble with N70's density, size, and expansion velocity; thus, N70 is most likely a superbubble that is recently energized by an interior SNR. N185 does not contain any known OB association, and its X-ray luminosity is an order of magnitude lower than expected if it is a quiescent superbubble. N185 has nonthermal radio emission and has high-velocity material expanding at nearly 200 km s$^{-1}$, similar to many known SNRs in the LMC. Its X-ray luminosity ($\sim1.9\times10^{35}$ erg s$^{-1}$) is also consistent with that of an evolved SNR. We therefore suggest that N185 is energized by a recent supernova.