POLARIZATION OBSERVATIONS OF BACKGROUND RADIO SOURCES SEEN THROUGH THE SUPERNOVA REMNANT S 147

  • Published : 1988.12.31

Abstract

Linear polarization has been measured for fifteen extragalactic radio sources in the field of supernova remnant S 147. These observations were made at 4885, 4835, 1665, 1515, 1465, and 1385 MHz using the Very Large Array, primarily to determine unambiguous Rotation Measures (RM) of the sources. This yields a total of 11 new RM sources. Comparisons of a sample of sources which are seen through S 147 were made with sources located farther away. The result tentatively indicates that the distribution of the rotation measure of the former population is broadened, with more than a 85% level of confidence. This constitutes evidence that there is a SNR contribution to rotation measure in sources seen through the SNR. Limits on this RM contribution are statistically at 30 < | RM | < 70 rad $m^{-2}$ with a 85% statistical level of confidence. These result imply the magnetic field in the rim of S 147 has strength 10 microguass if the electron density is $1\;cm^{-3}$.

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