Observations of Supernova Remnants with the Sardinia Radio Telescope

TL;DR

This paper presents high-frequency radio observations of supernova remnants W44 and IC443 using the Sardinia Radio Telescope, revealing detailed morphological features and aiding in understanding their physical properties and high-energy phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces innovative observing and mapping techniques that achieve unprecedented accuracy in single-dish imaging of SNRs at 5-22 GHz frequencies.

Findings

Detailed morphological features of SNRs W44 and IC443 revealed.

Enhanced understanding of spectral and physical properties of SNR regions.

Insights into high-energy emission mechanisms related to cosmic rays.

Abstract

In the frame of the Astronomical Validation activities for the 64m Sardinia Radio Telescope, we performed 5-22 GHz imaging observations of the complex-morphology supernova remnants (SNRs) W44 and IC443. We adopted innovative observing and mapping techniques providing unprecedented accuracy for single-dish imaging of SNRs at these frequencies, revealing morphological details typically available only at lower frequencies through interferometry observations. High-frequency studies of SNRs in the radio range are useful to better characterize the spatially-resolved spectra and the physical parameters of different regions of the SNRs interacting with the ISM. Furthermore, synchrotron-emitting electrons in the high-frequency radio band are also responsible for the observed high-energy phenomenology as -e.g.- Inverse Compton and bremsstrahlung emission components observed in gamma-rays, to be disentangled from hadron emission contribution (providing constraints on the origin of cosmic rays).