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Characterizing spectral variability of radio sources is a technique that offers the ability to determine the astrophysics of the intervening media, source structure, emission, and absorption processes. We present broadband (0.072-10 GHz) spectral variability of 15 peaked-spectrum (PS) sources with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) and the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). These 15 PS sources were observed quasi-contemporaneously with ATCA and the MWA four to six times during 2020 with approximately a monthly cadence. Variability was not detected at 1-10 GHz frequencies but 13 of the 15 targets show significant variability with the MWA at megahertz frequencies. We conclude the majority of variability seen at megahertz frequencies is due to refractive interstellar scintillation of a compact component ∼25 mas across. We also identify four PS sources that show a change in their spectral shape at megahertz frequencies. Three of these sources are consistent with a variable optical depth from an inhomogeneous free-free absorbing cloud around the source. One PS source with a variable spectral shape at megahertz frequencies is consistent with an ejection travelling along the jet. We present spectral variability as a method for determining the physical origins of observed variability and for providing further evidence to support absorption models for PS sources where spectral modelling alone is insufficient.

The evolution of asymptotic giant branch stars from the spherical symmetry into the diverse shapes of planetary nebulae (PNe) is a topic of intensive research. Young PNe provide a unique opportunity to characterize the onset of this transitional phase. In particular, OH maser-emitting PNe (OHPNe) are considered nascent PNe. In fact, only six OHPNe have been confirmed to date. In order to identify and characterize more OHPNe, we processed the unpublished continuum data of the interferometric follow-up of the Southern Parkes Large-Area Survey in Hydroxyl (SPLASH). We then matched the interferometric positions of OH maser and radio continuum emission, considering the latter as a possible tracer of free–free emission from photoionized gas, characteristic of PNe. We report eight objects with a positive coincidence, four of which are classified as candidate OHPNe here for the first time (IRAS 16372–4808, IRAS 17494–2645, IRAS 18019–2216, and OH 341.6811+00.2634). Available evidence strongly indicates that they are evolved stars, while the comparison with confirmed OHPNe indicates that they are likely to be PNe. Their final confirmation as bona fide PNe, however, requires optical/infrared spectroscopy. The obtained spectral indices of the radio continuum emission (between ≃0.4–1.3) are consistent with partially optically thick free–free emission from photoionized gas. Also, they cluster in the same region of a WISE colour–colour diagram as that of the confirmed OHPNe (⁠9.5≲[3.4]−[22]≲13.5⁠, and 4.0≲[4.6]−[12]≲7.0⁠), thus this diagram could help to identify more OHPNe candidates in the future. © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society

The massive star-forming region W75N (B) is thought to host a cluster of massive protostars (VLA 1, VLA 2, and VLA 3) undergoing different evolutionary stages. In this work, we present radio continuum data with the highest sensitivity and angular resolution obtained to date in this region, using the VLA-A and covering a wide range of frequencies (4-48 GHz), which allowed us to study the morphology and the nature of the emission of the different radio continuum sources. We also performed complementary studies with multi-epoch Very Large Array (VLA) data and Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) archive data at 1.3 mm wavelength. We find that VLA 1 is driving a thermal radio jet at scales of approximate to 0.1 arcsec (approximate to 130 au), but also shows signs of an incipient hypercompact HII region at scales of less than or similar to 1 arcsec (less than or similar to 1300 au). VLA 3 is also driving a thermal radio jet at scales of a few tenths of arcsec (few hundred of au). We conclude that this jet is shock exciting the radio continuum sources Bc and VLA 4 (obscured Herbig-Haro objects), which show proper motions moving outward from VLA 3 at velocities of approximate to 112-118 km s(-1). We have also detected three new weak radio continuum sources, two of them associated with millimetre continuum cores observed with ALMA, suggesting that these two sources are also embedded young stellar objects in this massive star-forming region. © 2020 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society

We report the discovery of a new Small Magellanic Cloud pulsar wind nebula (PWN) at the edge of the supernova remnant (SNR) DEM S5. The pulsar powered object has a cometary morphology similar to the Galactic PWN analogues PSR B1951+32 and ‘the mouse’. It is travelling supersonically through the interstellar medium. We estimate the pulsar kick velocity to be in the range of 700–2000 km s−1 for an age between 28 and 10 kyr. The radio spectral index for this SNR–PWN–pulsar system is flat (–0.29 ± 0.01) consistent with other similar objects. We infer that the putative pulsar has a radio spectral index of –1.8, which is typical for Galactic pulsars. We searched for dispersion measures up to 1000 cm−3 pc but found no convincing candidates with an S/N greater than 8. We produce a polarization map for this PWN at 5500 MHz and find a mean fractional polarization of P ∼ 23 per cent. The X-ray power-law spectrum ( ∼ 2) is indicative of non-thermal synchrotron emission as is expected from PWN–pulsar system. Finally, we detect DEM S5 in infrared (IR) bands. Our IR photometric measurements strongly indicate the presence of shocked gas that is expected for SNRs. However, it is unusual to detect such IR emission in an SNR with a supersonic bow shock PWN. We also find a low-velocity H I cloud of ∼107 km s−1 that is possibly interacting with DEM S5. SNR DEM S5 is the first confirmed detection of a pulsar-powered bow shock nebula found outside the Galaxy.

Although the transition of [C ii] at λ ≃ 158 is known to be an excellent tracer of active star formation, we still do not have a complete understanding of where within star formation regions the emission originates. Here, we use SOFIA upGREAT observations of [C ii] emission toward the H ii region complex Sh2-235 (S235) to better understand in detail the origin of [C ii] emission. We complement these data with a fully sampled Green Bank Telescope radio recombination line map tracing the ionized hydrogen gas. About half of the total [C ii] emission associated with S235 is spatially coincident with ionized hydrogen gas, although spectroscopic analysis shows little evidence that this emission is coming from the ionized hydrogen volume. Velocity-integrated [C ii] intensity is strongly correlated with Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) 12 intensity across the entire complex, indicating that both trace ultraviolet radiation fields. The 22 and radio continuum intensities are only correlated with [C ii] intensity in the ionized hydrogen portion of the S235 region and the correlations between the [C ii] and molecular gas tracers are poor across the region. We find similar results for emission averaged over a sample of external galaxies, although the strength of the correlations is weaker. Therefore, although many tracers are correlated with the strength of [C ii] emission, only WISE 12 emission is correlated on small scales of the individual H ii region S235 and also has a decent correlation at the scale of entire range of galaxies. Future studies of a larger sample of Galactic H ii regions would help to determine whether these results are truly representative. © 2019. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Context. Deriving physical parameters from gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow observations remains a challenge, even 20 years after the discovery of afterglows. The main reason for the lack of progress is that the peak of the synchrotron emission is in the sub-mm range, thus requiring radio observations in conjunction with X-ray/optical/near-infrared data in order to measure the corresponding spectral slopes and consequently remove the ambiguity with respect to slow vs. fast cooling and the ordering of the characteristic frequencies. Aims. We have embarked on a multifrequency, multi-epoch observing campaign to obtain sufficient data for a given GRB that allows us to test the simplest version of the fireball afterglow model. Methods. We observed GRB 151027B, the 1000th Swift-detected GRB, with GROND in the optical-near-IR, ALMA in the sub-millimeter, ATCA in the radio band; we combined this with public Swift/XRT X-ray data. Results. While some observations at crucial times only return upper limits or surprising features, the fireball model is narrowly constrained by our data set, and allows us to draw a consistent picture with a fully determined parameter set. Surprisingly, we find rapid, large-amplitude flux density variations in the radio band which are extreme not only for GRBs, but generally for any radio source. We interpret them as scintillation effects, though their extreme nature requires the scattering screen to be at a much smaller distance than usually assumed, multiple screens, or a combination of the two. Conclusions. The data are consistent with the simplest fireball scenario for a blast wave moving into a constant-density medium, and slow-cooling electrons. All fireball parameters are constrained at or better than a factor of 2, except for the density and the fraction of the energy in the magnetic field which has a factor of 10 uncertainty in both directions.© ESO 2018.

Context. Deriving physical parameters from gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow observations remains a challenge, even 20 years after the discovery of afterglows. The main reason for the lack of progress is that the peak of the synchrotron emission is in the sub-mm range, thus requiring radio observations in conjunction with X-ray/optical/near-infrared data in order to measure the corresponding spectral slopes and consequently remove the ambiguity with respect to slow vs. fast cooling and the ordering of the characteristic frequencies. Aims. We have embarked on a multifrequency, multi-epoch observing campaign to obtain sufficient data for a given GRB that allows us to test the simplest version of the fireball afterglow model. Methods. We observed GRB 151027B, the 1000th Swift-detected GRB, with GROND in the optical-near-IR, ALMA in the sub-millimeter, ATCA in the radio band; we combined this with public Swift/XRT X-ray data. Results. While some observations at crucial times only return upper limits or surprising features, the fireball model is narrowly constrained by our data set, and allows us to draw a consistent picture with a fully determined parameter set. Surprisingly, we find rapid, large-amplitude flux density variations in the radio band which are extreme not only for GRBs, but generally for any radio source. We interpret them as scintillation effects, though their extreme nature requires the scattering screen to be at a much smaller distance than usually assumed, multiple screens, or a combination of the two. Conclusions. The data are consistent with the simplest fireball scenario for a blast wave moving into a constant-density medium, and slow-cooling electrons. All fireball parameters are constrained at or better than a factor of 2, except for the density and the fraction of the energy in the magnetic field which has a factor of 10 uncertainty in both directions.© ESO 2018.

We compare multi-epoch sub-arcsecond Very Large Array imaging of the 22 GHz water masers toward the massive protocluster NGC 6334I observed before and after the recent outburst of MM1B in (sub)millimeter continuum. Since the outburst, the water maser emission toward MM1 has substantially weakened. Simultaneously, the strong water masers associated with the synchrotron continuum point source CM2 have flared by a mean factor of 6.5 (to 4.2 kJy) with highly blueshifted features (up to 70 km s-1 from the LSR) becoming more prominent. The strongest flaring water masers reside 3000 au north of MM1B and form a remarkable bow shock pattern whose vertex coincides with CM2 and tail points back to MM1B. Excited OH masers trace a secondary bow shock located ∼120 au downstream. Atacama Large Millimeter Array images of CS (6-5) reveal a highly collimated north-south structure encompassing the flaring masers to the north and the nonflaring masers to the south seen in projection toward the MM3-UCHII region. Proper motions of the southern water masers over 5.3 years indicate a bulk projected motion of 117 km s-1 southward from MM1B with a dynamical time of 170 years. We conclude that CM2, the water masers, and many of the excited OH masers trace the interaction of the high-velocity bipolar outflow from MM1B with ambient molecular gas. The previously excavated outflow cavity has apparently allowed the radiative energy of the current outburst to propagate freely until terminating at the northern bow shock where it strengthened the masers. Additionally, water masers have been detected toward MM7 for the first time, and a highly collimated CS (6-5) outflow has been detected toward MM4. © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

Using the Very Large Array, we have investigated a non-thermal radio filament (NTF) recently found very near the Galactic black hole and its radio counterpart, SgrA*. While this NTF -- the Sgr A West Filament (SgrAWF) -- shares many characteristics with the population of NTFs occupying the central few hundred parsecs of the Galaxy, the SgrAWF has the distinction of having an orientation and sky location that suggest an intimate physical connection to SgrA*. We present 3.3 and 5.5 cm images constructed using an innovative methodology that yields a very high dynamic range, providing an unprecedentedly clear picture of the SgrAWF. While the physical association of the SgrAWF with SgrA* is not unambiguous, the images decidedly evoke this interesting possibility. Assuming that the SgrAWF bears a physical relationship to SgrA*, we examine the potential implications. One is that SgrA* is a source of relativistic particles constrained to diffuse along ordered local field lines. The relativistic particles could also be fed into the local field by a collimated outflow from SgrA*, perhaps driven by the Poynting flux accompanying the black hole spin in the presence of a magnetic field threading the event horizon. Second, we consider the possibility that the SgrAWF is the manifestation of a low-mass-density cosmic string that has become anchored to the black hole. The simplest form of these hypotheses would predict that the filament be bi-directional, whereas the SgrAWF is only seen on one side of SgrA*, perhaps because of the dynamics of the local medium.

We use radio-continuum all-sky surveys at 1420 and 408 MHz with the aim to investigate properties of the Galactic radio source Lupus Loop. The survey data at 1435 MHz, with the linear polarization of the southern sky, are also used. We calculate properties of this supernova remnant: the brightness temperature, surface brightness and radio spectral index. To determine its borders and to calculate its properties, we use the method we have developed. The non-thermal nature of its radiation is confirmed. The distribution of spectral index over its area is also given. A significant correlation between the radio spectral index distribution and the corresponding polarized intensity distribution inside the loop borders is found, indicating that the polarization maps could provide us information about the distribution of the interstellar medium, and thus could represent one additional way to search for new Galactic loops.

We use radio-continuum all-sky surveys at 1420 and 408 MHz with the aim to investigate properties of the Galactic radio source Lupus Loop. The survey data at 1435 MHz, with the linear polarization of the southern sky, are also used. We calculate properties of this supernova remnant: the brightness temperature, surface brightness and radio spectral index. To determine its borders and to calculate its properties, we use the method we have developed. The non-thermal nature of its radiation is confirmed. The distribution of spectral index over its area is also given. A significant correlation between the radio spectral index distribution and the corresponding polarized intensity distribution inside the loop borders is found, indicating that the polarization maps could provide us information about the distribution of the interstellar medium, and thus could represent one additional way to search for new Galactic loops.

Using the Very Large Array, we have investigated a non-thermal radio filament (NTF) recently found very near the Galactic black hole and its radio counterpart, SgrA*. While this NTF -- the Sgr A West Filament (SgrAWF) -- shares many characteristics with the population of NTFs occupying the central few hundred parsecs of the Galaxy, the SgrAWF has the distinction of having an orientation and sky location that suggest an intimate physical connection to SgrA*. We present 3.3 and 5.5 cm images constructed using an innovative methodology that yields a very high dynamic range, providing an unprecedentedly clear picture of the SgrAWF. While the physical association of the SgrAWF with SgrA* is not unambiguous, the images decidedly evoke this interesting possibility. Assuming that the SgrAWF bears a physical relationship to SgrA*, we examine the potential implications. One is that SgrA* is a source of relativistic particles constrained to diffuse along ordered local field lines. The relativistic particles could also be fed into the local field by a collimated outflow from SgrA*, perhaps driven by the Poynting flux accompanying the black hole spin in the presence of a magnetic field threading the event horizon. Second, we consider the possibility that the SgrAWF is the manifestation of a low-mass-density cosmic string that has become anchored to the black hole. The simplest form of these hypotheses would predict that the filament be bi-directional, whereas the SgrAWF is only seen on one side of SgrA*, perhaps because of the dynamics of the local medium.

We discovered fine-scale structure within the scattering disk of PSR B0329+54 in observations with the RadioAstron ground-space radio interferometer. Here, we describe this phenomenon, characterize it with averages and correlation functions, and interpret it as the result of decorrelation of the impulse-response function of interstellar scattering between the widely-separated antennas. This instrument included the 10-m Space Radio Telescope, the 110-m Green Bank Telescope, the 14x25-m Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, and the 64-m Kalyazin Radio Telescope. The observations were performed at 324 MHz, on baselines of up to 235,000 km in November 2012 and January 2014. In the delay domain, on long baselines the interferometric visibility consists of many discrete spikes within a limited range of delays. On short baselines it consists of a sharp spike surrounded by lower spikes. The average envelope of correlations of the visibility function show two exponential scales, with characteristic delays of $\tau_1=4.1\pm 0.3\ \mu{\rm s}$ and $\tau_2=23\pm 3\ \mu{\rm s}$, indicating the presence of two scales of scattering in the interstellar medium. These two scales are present in the pulse-broadening function. The longer scale contains 0.38 times the scattered power of the shorter one. We suggest that the longer tail arises from highly-scattered paths, possibly from anisotropic scattering or from substructure at large angles.

We discuss the Galactic foreground emission between 20 and 100 GHz based on observations by Planck and WMAP. The total intensity in this part of the spectrum is dominated by free-free and spinning dust emission, whereas the polarized intensity is dominated by synchrotron emission. The Commander component-separation tool has been used to separate the various astrophysical processes in total intensity. Comparison with radio recombination line templates verifies the recovery of the free-free emission along the Galactic plane. Comparison of the high-latitude H alpha emission with our free-free map shows residuals that correlate with dust optical depth, consistent with a fraction (approximate to 30%) of H alpha having been scattered by high-latitude dust. We highlight a number of diffuse spinning dust morphological features at high latitude. There is substantial spatial variation in the spinning dust spectrum, with the emission peak (in I-v) ranging from below 20 GHz to more than 50 GHz. There is a strong tendency for the spinning dust component near many prominent H Pi regions to have a higher peak frequency, suggesting that this increase in peak frequency is associated with dust in the photo-dissociation regions around the nebulae. The emissivity of spinning dust in these diffuse regions is of the same order as previous detections in the literature. Over the entire sky, the Commander solution finds more anomalous microwave emission (AME) than the WMAP component maps, at the expense of synchrotron and free-free emission. This can be explained by the difficulty in separating multiple broadband components with a limited number of frequency maps. Future surveys, particularly at 5-20 GHz, will greatly improve the separation by constraining the synchrotron spectrum. We combine Planck and WMAP data to make the highest signal-to-noise ratio maps yet of the intensity of the all-sky polarized synchrotron emission at frequencies above a few GHz. Most of the high-latitude polarize

We discuss the Galactic foreground emission between 20 and 100 GHz based on observations by Planck and WMAP. The total intensity in this part of the spectrum is dominated by free-free and spinning dust emission, whereas the polarized intensity is dominated by synchrotron emission. The Commander component-separation tool has been used to separate the various astrophysical processes in total intensity. Comparison with radio recombination line templates verifies the recovery of the free-free emission along the Galactic plane. Comparison of the high-latitude Hα emission with our free-free map shows residuals that correlate with dust optical depth, consistent with a fraction (≠30%) of Hα having been scattered by high-latitude dust. We highlight a number of diffuse spinning dust morphological features at high latitude. There is substantial spatial variation in the spinning dust spectrum, with the emission peak (in Iν) ranging from below 20 GHz to more than 50 GHz. There is a strong tendency for the spinning dust component near many prominent H ii regions to have a higher peak frequency, suggesting that this increase in peak frequency is associated with dust in the photo-dissociation regions around the nebulae. The emissivity of spinning dust in these diffuse regions is of the same order as previous detections in the literature. Over the entire sky, the Commander solution finds more anomalous microwave emission (AME) than the WMAP component maps, at the expense of synchrotron and free-free emission. This can be explained by the difficulty in separating multiple broadband components with a limited number of frequency maps. Future surveys, particularly at 5-20 GHz, will greatly improve the separation by constraining the synchrotron spectrum. We combine Planck and WMAP data to make the highest signal-to-noise ratio maps yet of the intensity of the all-sky polarized synchrotron emission at frequencies above a few GHz. Most of the high-latitude polarized emission is associate

The all-sky Planck survey in 9 frequency bands was used to search for emission from all 274 known Galactic supernova remnants. Of these, 16 were detected in at least two Planck frequencies. The radio-through-microwave spectral energy distributions were compiled to determine the mechanism for microwave emission. In only one case, IC 443, is there high-frequency emission clearly from dust associated with the supernova remnant. In all cases, the low-frequency emission is from synchrotron radiation. As predicted for a population of relativistic particles with energy distribution that extends continuously to high energies, a single power law is evident for many sources, including the Crab and PKS 1209-51/52. A decrease in flux density relative to the extrapolation of radio emission is evident in several sources. Their spectral energy distributions can be approximated as broken power laws, Sv proportional to v-α, with the spectral index, α, increasing by 0.5-1 above a break frequency in the range 10-60 GHz. The break could be due to synchrotron losses.

The polarized thermal emission from diffuse Galactic dust is the main foreground present in measurements of the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at frequencies above 100 GHz. In this paper we exploit the uniqueness of the Planck HFI polarization data from 100 to 353 GHz to measure the polarized dust angular power spectra C-l(EE) and C-l(BB) over the multipole range 40

Planck has mapped the polarized dust emission over the whole sky, making it possible to trace the Galactic magnetic field structure that pervades the interstellar medium (ISM). We combine polarization data from Planck with rotation measure (RM) observations towards a massive star-forming region, the Rosette Nebula in the Monoceros molecular cloud, to study its magnetic field structure and the impact of an expanding H II region on the morphology of the field. We derive an analytical solution for the magnetic field, assumed to evolve from an initially uniform configuration following the expansion of ionized gas and the formation of a shell of swept-up ISM. From the RM data we estimate a mean value of the line-of-sight component of the magnetic field of about 3 mu G (towards the observer) in the Rosette Nebula, for a uniform electron density of about 12 cm(-3). The dust shell that surrounds the Rosette H II region is clearly observed in the Planck intensity map at 353 GHz, with a polarization signal significantly different from that of the local background when considered as a whole. The Planck observations constrain the plane-of-the-sky orientation of the magnetic field in the Rosette's parent molecular cloud to be mostly aligned with the large-scale field along the Galactic plane. The Planck data are compared with the analytical model, which predicts the mean polarization properties of a spherical and uniform dust shell for a given orientation of the field. This comparison leads to an upper limit of about 45 degrees on the angle between the line of sight and the magnetic field in the Rosette complex, for an assumed intrinsic dust polarization fraction of 4%. This field direction can reproduce the RM values detected in the ionized region if the magnetic field strength in the Monoceros molecular cloud is in the range 6.5-9 mu G. The present analytical model is able to reproduce the RM distribution across the ionized nebula, as well as the me

We discovered fine-scale structure within the scattering disk of PSR B0329+54 in observations with the RadioAstron ground-space radio interferometer. Here, we describe this phenomenon, characterize it with averages and correlation functions, and interpret it as the result of decorrelation of the impulse-response function of interstellar scattering between the widely-separated antennas. This instrument included the 10-m Space Radio Telescope, the 110-m Green Bank Telescope, the 14x25-m Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, and the 64-m Kalyazin Radio Telescope. The observations were performed at 324 MHz, on baselines of up to 235,000 km in November 2012 and January 2014. In the delay domain, on long baselines the interferometric visibility consists of many discrete spikes within a limited range of delays. On short baselines it consists of a sharp spike surrounded by lower spikes. The average envelope of correlations of the visibility function show two exponential scales, with characteristic delays of $\tau_1=4.1\pm 0.3\ \mu{\rm s}$ and $\tau_2=23\pm 3\ \mu{\rm s}$, indicating the presence of two scales of scattering in the interstellar medium. These two scales are present in the pulse-broadening function. The longer scale contains 0.38 times the scattered power of the shorter one. We suggest that the longer tail arises from highly-scattered paths, possibly from anisotropic scattering or from substructure at large angles.

Late stages of stellar evolution are characterized by copious mass-loss events whose signature is the formation of circumstellar envelopes (CSE). Planck multi-frequency measurements have provided relevant information on a sample of Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) in the important and relatively unexplored observational band between 30 and 857 GHz. Planck enables the assembly of comprehensive PNe spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from radio to far-IR frequencies. Modelling the derived SEDs provides us with information on physical properties of CSEs and the mass content of both main components: ionized gas, traced by the free-free emission at cm-mm waves; and thermal dust, traced by the millimetre and far-IR emission. In particular, the amount of ionized gas and dust has been derived here. Such quantities have also been estimated for the very young PN CRL? 618, where the strong variability observed in its radio and millimetre emission has previously prevented constructing its SED. A morphological study of the Helix Nebula was also performed. Planck maps reveal, for the first time, the spatial distribution of the dust inside the envelope, allowing us to identify different components, the most interesting of which is a very extended component (up to 1? pc) that may be related to a region where the slow expanding envelope is interacting with the surrounding interstellar medium.

At radio wavelengths, scattering in the interstellar medium distorts the appearance of astronomical sources. Averaged over a scattering ensemble, the result is a blurred image of the source. However, Narayan & Goodman and Goodman & Narayan showed that for an incomplete average, scattering introduces refractive substructure in the image of a point source that is both persistent and wideband. We show that this substructure is quenched but not smoothed by an extended source. As a result, when the scatter-broadening is comparable to or exceeds the unscattered source size, the scattering can introduce spurious compact features into images. In addition, we derive efficient strategies to numerically compute realistic scattered images, and we present characteristic examples from simulations. Our results show that refractive substructure is an important consideration for ongoing missions at the highest angular resolutions, and we discuss specific implications for RadioAstron and the Event Horizon Telescope.

Aims: This study aims to characterize linear polarization structures in LOFAR observations of the interstellar medium (ISM) in the 3C 196 field, one of the primary fields of the LOFAR-Epoch of Reionization key science project. Methods: We have used the high band antennas (HBA) of LOFAR to image this region and rotation measure (RM) synthesis to unravel the distribution of polarized structures in Faraday depth. Results: The brightness temperature of the detected Galactic emission is 5-15 K in polarized intensity and covers the range from -3 to +8 rad m(-2) in Faraday depth. The most interesting morphological feature is a strikingly straight filament at a Faraday depth of +0.5 rad m(-2) running from north to south, right through the centre of the field and parallel to the Galactic plane. There is also an interesting system of linear depolarization canals conspicuous in an image showing the peaks of Faraday spectra. We used the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) at 350 MHz to image the same region. For the first time, we see some common morphology in the RM cubes made at 150 and 350 MHz. There is no indication of diffuse emission in total intensity in the interferometric data, in line with results at higher frequencies and previous LOFAR observations. Based on our results, we determined physical parameters of the ISM and proposed a simple model that may explain the observed distribution of the intervening magneto-ionic medium. Conclusions: The mean line-of-sight magnetic field component, B-parallel to, is determined to be 0.3 +/- 0.1 mu G and its spatial variation across the 3C 196 field is 0.1 mu G. The filamentary structure is probably an ionized filament in the ISM, located somewhere within the Local Bubble. This filamentary structure shows an excess in thermal electron density (n(e)B(parallel to) > 6.2 cm(-3) mu G) compared to its surroundings.

Planck data when combined with ancillary data provide a unique opportunity to separate the diuse emission components of the inner Galaxy.The purpose of the paper is to elucidate the morphology of the various emission components in the strong star-formation region lying inside thesolar radius and to clarify the relationship between the various components. The region of the Galactic plane covered is l = 300 ! 0 ! 60where star-formation is highest and the emission is strong enough to make meaningful component separation. The latitude widths in this longituderange lie between 1 and 2, which correspond to FWHM z-widths of 100–200 pc at a typical distance of 6 kpc. The four emission componentsstudied here are synchrotron, free-free, anomalous microwave emission (AME), and thermal (vibrational) dust emission. These components areidentified by constructing spectral energy distributions (SEDs) at positions along the Galactic plane using the wide frequency coverage of Planck(28.4–857 GHz) in combination with low-frequency radio data at 0.408–2.3 GHz plus WMAP data at 23–94 GHz, along with far-infrared (FIR) datafrom COBE-DIRBE and IRAS. The free-free component is determined from radio recombination line (RRL) data. AME is found to be comparablein brightness to the free-free emission on the Galactic plane in the frequency range 20–40 GHz with a width in latitude similar to that of the thermaldust; it comprises 45 1% of the total 28.4 GHz emission in the longitude range l = 300 ! 0 ! 60. The free-free component is the narrowest,reflecting the fact that it is produced by current star-formation as traced by the narrow distribution of OB stars. It is the dominant emission on theplane between 60 and 100 GHz. RRLs from this ionized gas are used to assess its distance, leading to a free-free z-width of FWHM 100 pc. Thenarrow synchrotron component has a low-frequency brightness spectral index β synch ≈-2.7 that is similar to the broad synchrotron componentindicating that they are both

Late stages of stellar evolution are characterized by copious mass-loss events whose signature is the formation of circumstellar envelopes (CSE). Planck multi-frequency measurements have provided relevant information on a sample of Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) in the important and relatively unexplored observational band between 30 and 857 GHz. Planck enables the assembly of comprehensive PNe spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from radio to far-IR frequencies. Modelling the derived SEDs provides us with information on physical properties of CSEs and the mass content of both main components: ionized gas, traced by the free-free emission at cm-mm waves; and thermal dust, traced by the millimetre and far-IR emission. In particular, the amount of ionized gas and dust has been derived here. Such quantities have also been estimated for the very young PN CRL? 618, where the strong variability observed in its radio and millimetre emission has previously prevented constructing its SED. A morphological study of the Helix Nebula was also performed. Planck maps reveal, for the first time, the spatial distribution of the dust inside the envelope, allowing us to identify different components, the most interesting of which is a very extended component (up to 1? pc) that may be related to a region where the slow expanding envelope is interacting with the surrounding interstellar medium.

At radio wavelengths, scattering in the interstellar medium distorts the appearance of astronomical sources. Averaged over a scattering ensemble, the result is a blurred image of the source. However, Narayan & Goodman and Goodman & Narayan showed that for an incomplete average, scattering introduces refractive substructure in the image of a point source that is both persistent and wideband. We show that this substructure is quenched but not smoothed by an extended source. As a result, when the scatter-broadening is comparable to or exceeds the unscattered source size, the scattering can introduce spurious compact features into images. In addition, we derive efficient strategies to numerically compute realistic scattered images, and we present characteristic examples from simulations. Our results show that refractive substructure is an important consideration for ongoing missions at the highest angular resolutions, and we discuss specific implications for RadioAstron and the Event Horizon Telescope.

We use Planck HFI data combined with ancillary radio data to study the emissivity index of the interstellar dust emission in the frequency range 100-353 GHz, or 3-0.8 mm, in the Galactic plane. We analyse the region l = 20 degrees-44 degrees and vertical bar b vertical bar <= 4 degrees where the free-free emission can be estimated from radio recombination line data. We fit the spectra at each sky pixel with a modified blackbody model and two opacity spectral indices, beta(mm) and beta(FIR), below and above 353 GHz, respectively. We find that beta(mm) is smaller than beta(FIR), and we detect a correlation between this low frequency power-law index and the dust optical depth at 353 GHz, tau(353). The opacity spectral index beta(mm) increases from about 1.54 in the more diffuse regions of the Galactic disk, vertical bar b vertical bar = 3 degrees-4 degrees and tau(353) similar to 5 x 10(-5), to about 1.66 in the densest regions with an optical depth of more than one order of magnitude higher. We associate this correlation with an evolution of the dust emissivity related to the fraction of molecular gas along the line of sight. This translates into beta(mm) similar to 1.54 for a medium that is mostly atomic and beta(mm) similar to 1.66 when the medium is dominated by molecular gas. We find that both the two-level system model and magnetic dipole emission by ferromagnetic particles can explain the results. These results improve our understanding of the physics of interstellar dust and lead towards a complete model of the dust spectrum of the Milky Way from far-infrared to millimetre wavelengths.

Aims. This study aims to characterise the polarized foreground emission in the ELAIS-N1 field and to address its possible implications or extracting of the cosmological 21 cm signal from the LOw-Frequency ARray - Epoch of Reionization (LOFAR-EoR) data Methods. We used the high band antennas of LOFAR to image this region and RM-synthesis to unravel structures of polarized emission at high Galactic latitudes. Results. The brightness temperature of the detected Galactic emission is on average similar to 4 K in polarized intensity and covers the range from -10 to +13 rad m(-2) in Faraday depth, The total polarized intensity and polarization angle show a wide range of morphological features. We have also used the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) at 350 MHz to image the same region. The LOFAR and WSRT images show a similar complex morphology at comparable brightness levels, but their spatial correlation is very low. The fractional polarization at 150 MHz, expressed as a percentage of the total intensity, amounts to approximate to 1.5%. There is no indication of diffuse emission in total intensity in the interferometric data. in line with results at higher frequencies Conclusions. The wide frequency range. high angular resolution, and high sensitivity make LOFAR an exquisite instrument for studying Galactic polarized emission at a resolution of similar to 1-2 rad m(-2) in Faraday depth. The different polarized patterns observed at 150 MHz and 350 MHz are consistent with different source distributions along the line of sight wring in a variety of Faraday thin regions of emission. The presence of polarized foregrounds is a serious complication for epoch of reionization experiments. To avoid the leakage of polarized emission into total intensity, which can depend on frequency, we need to calibrate the instrumental polarization across the field of view to a small fraction of 1%., AuthorCount:109

The Micro-arcsecond Scintillation-Induced Variability (MASIV) Survey and its follow-up observations have provided large datasets of AGN intra-day variability (IDV) at radio wavelengths. These data have shown that IDV arises mainly from scintillation caused by scattering in the ionized interstellar medium (ISM) of our Galaxy, based on correlation with Galactic latitudes and line-of-sight Galactic electron column densities. The sensitivity of interstellar scintillation (ISS) towards source angular sizes has provided a new tool for studying the most compact components of radio-loud AGNs at microarcsecond (µas) scale resolution - much higher than any ground-based radio interferometer. We present here key results from the MASIV Survey and its follow-up observations, and point to relevant papers where these results have been published.

Anomalous microwave emission (AME) is believed to be due to electric dipole radiation from small spinning dust grains. The aim of this paper is a statistical study of the basic properties of AME regions and the environment in which they emit. We used WMAP and Planck maps, combined with ancillary radio and IR data, to construct a sample of 98 candidate AME sources, assembling SEDs for each source using aperture photometry on 1°-smoothed maps from 0.408 GHz up to 3000 GHz. Each spectrum is fitted with a simple model of free-free, synchrotron (where necessary), cosmic microwave background (CMB), thermal dust, and spinning dust components. We find that 42 of the 98 sources have significant (>5σ) excess emission at frequencies between 20 and 60 GHz. An analysis of the potential contribution of optically thick free-free emission from ultra-compact H ii regions, using IR colour criteria, reduces the significant AME sample to 27 regions. The spectrum of the AME is consistent with model spectra of spinning dust. Peak frequencies are in the range 20−35 GHz except for the California nebula (NGC 1499), which appears to have a high spinning dust peak frequency of (50 ± 17) GHz. The AME regions tend to be more spatially extended than regions with little or no AME. The AME intensity is strongly correlated with the sub-millimetre/IR flux densities and comparable to previous AME detections in the literature. AME emissivity, defined as the ratio of AME to dust optical depth, varies by an order of magnitude for the AME regions. The AME regions tend to be associated with cooler dust in the range 14−20 K and an average emissivity index, βd, of +1.8, while the non-AME regions are typically warmer, at 20−27 K. In agreement with previous studies, the AME emissivity appears to decrease with increasing column density. This supports the idea of AME originating from small grains that are known to be depleted in dense regions, probably due to coagulation onto larger grains. We also find a co

We use Planck HFI data combined with ancillary radio data to study the emissivity index of the interstellar dust emission in the frequency range 100-353 GHz, or 3-0.8 mm, in the Galactic plane. We analyse the region l = 20 degrees-44 degrees and vertical bar b vertical bar

We perform an analysis of the diffuse low-frequency Galactic components in the southern part of the Gould Belt system (130 degrees <= l <= 230 degrees and -50 degrees <= b <= -10 degrees). Strong ultra-violet flux coming from the Gould Belt super-association is responsible for bright diffuse foregrounds that we observe from our position inside the system and that can help us improve our knowledge of the Galactic emission. Free-free emission and anomalous microwave emission (AME) are the dominant components at low frequencies (nu < 40 GHz), while synchrotron emission is very smooth and faint. We separated diffuse free-free emission and AME from synchrotron emission and thermal dust emission by using Planck data, complemented by ancillary data, using the correlated component analysis (CCA) component-separation method and we compared our results with the results of cross-correlation of foreground templates with the frequency maps. We estimated the electron temperature T-e from Ha and free-free emission using two methods (temperature-temperature plot and cross-correlation) and obtained T-e ranging from 3100 to 5200 K for an effective fraction of absorbing dust along the line of sight of 30% (f(d) = 0.3). We estimated the frequency spectrum of the diffuse AME and recovered a peak frequency (in flux density units) of 25.5 +/- 1.5 GHz. We verified the reliability of this result with realistic simulations that include biases in the spectral model for the AME and in the free-free template. By combining physical models for vibrational and rotational dust emission and adding the constraints from the thermal dust spectrum from Planck and IRAS, we are able to present a good description of the AME frequency spectrum for plausible values of the local density and radiation field.

We perform an analysis of the diffuse low-frequency Galactic components in the Southern part of the Gould Belt system (130^\circ\leq l\leq 230^\circ and -50^\circ\leq b\leq -10^\circ). Strong ultra-violet (UV) flux coming from the Gould Belt super-association is responsible for bright diffuse foregrounds that we observe from our position inside the system and that can help us improve our knowledge of the Galactic emission. Free-free emission and anomalous microwave emission (AME) are the dominant components at low frequencies (\nu < 40 GHz), while synchrotron emission is very smooth and faint. We separate diffuse free-free emission and AME from synchrotron emission and thermal dust emission by using Planck data, complemented by ancillary data, using the "Correlated Component Analysis" (CCA) component separation method and we compare with the results of cross-correlation of foreground templates with the frequency maps. We estimate the electron temperature T_e from H$\alpha$ and free-free emission using two methods (temperature-temperature plot and cross-correlation) and we obtain T_e ranging from 3100 to 5200 K, for an effective fraction of absorbing dust along the line of sight of 30% (f_d=0.3). We estimate the frequency spectrum of the diffuse AME and we recover a peak frequency (in flux density units) of 25.5 \pm 1.5 GHz. We verify the reliability of this result with realistic simulations that include the presence of biases in the spectral model for the AME and in the free-free template. By combining physical models for vibrational and rotational dust emission and adding the constraints from the thermal dust spectrum from Planck and IRAS we are able to get a good description of the frequency spectrum of the AME for plausible values of the local density and radiation field.

Using precise full-sky observations from Planck, and applying several methods of component separation, we identify and characterise the emission from the Galactic "haze" at microwave wavelengths. The haze is a distinct component of diffuse Galactic emission, roughly centered on the Galactic centre, and extends to | b | ∼ 35-50 in Galactic latitude and | l | ∼ 15-20 in longitude. By combining the Planck data with observations from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, we were able to determine the spectrum of this emission to high accuracy, unhindered by the strong systematic biases present in previous analyses. The derived spectrum is consistent with power-law emission with a spectral index of-2.56 ± 0.05, thus excluding free-free emission as the source and instead favouring hard-spectrum synchrotron radiation from an electron population with a spectrum (number density per energy) dN/dE ∞ E-2.1. At Galactic latitudes | b | < 30, the microwave haze morphology is consistent with that of the Fermi gamma-ray "haze" or "bubbles", while at b ∼-50 we have identified an edge in the microwave haze that is spatially coincident with the edge in the gamma-ray bubbles. Taken together, this indicates that we have a multi-wavelength view of a distinct component of our Galaxy. Given both the very hard spectrum and the extended nature of the emission, it is highly unlikely that the haze electrons result from supernova shocks in the Galactic disk. Instead, a new astrophysical mechanism for cosmic-ray acceleration in the inner Galaxy is implied. © 2013 ESO.

Using precise full-sky observations from Planck, and applying several methods of component separation, we identify and characterise the emission from the Galactic "haze" at microwave wavelengths. The haze is a distinct component of diffuse Galactic emission, roughly centered on the Galactic centre, and extends to | b | ∼ 35-50 in Galactic latitude and | l | ∼ 15-20 in longitude. By combining the Planck data with observations from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, we were able to determine the spectrum of this emission to high accuracy, unhindered by the strong systematic biases present in previous analyses. The derived spectrum is consistent with power-law emission with a spectral index of-2.56 ± 0.05, thus excluding free-free emission as the source and instead favouring hard-spectrum synchrotron radiation from an electron population with a spectrum (number density per energy) dN/dE ∞ E-2.1. At Galactic latitudes | b | < 30, the microwave haze morphology is consistent with that of the Fermi gamma-ray "haze" or "bubbles", while at b ∼-50 we have identified an edge in the microwave haze that is spatially coincident with the edge in the gamma-ray bubbles. Taken together, this indicates that we have a multi-wavelength view of a distinct component of our Galaxy. Given both the very hard spectrum and the extended nature of the emission, it is highly unlikely that the haze electrons result from supernova shocks in the Galactic disk. Instead, a new astrophysical mechanism for cosmic-ray acceleration in the inner Galaxy is implied. © 2013 ESO.

Using precise full-sky observations from Planck, and applying several methods of component separation, we identify and characterise the emission from the Galactic >haze> at microwave wavelengths. The haze is a distinct component of diffuse Galactic emission, roughly centered on the Galactic centre, and extends to | b | ∼ 35-50 in Galactic latitude and | l | ∼ 15-20 in longitude. By combining the Planck data with observations from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, we were able to determine the spectrum of this emission to high accuracy, unhindered by the strong systematic biases present in previous analyses. The derived spectrum is consistent with power-law emission with a spectral index of-2.56 ± 0.05, thus excluding free-free emission as the source and instead favouring hard-spectrum synchrotron radiation from an electron population with a spectrum (number density per energy) dN/dE ∞ E-2.1. At Galactic latitudes | b | < 30, the microwave haze morphology is consistent with that of the Fermi gamma-ray >haze> or >bubbles>, while at b ∼-50 we have identified an edge in the microwave haze that is spatially coincident with the edge in the gamma-ray bubbles. Taken together, this indicates that we have a multi-wavelength view of a distinct component of our Galaxy. Given both the very hard spectrum and the extended nature of the emission, it is highly unlikely that the haze electrons result from supernova shocks in the Galactic disk. Instead, a new astrophysical mechanism for cosmic-ray acceleration in the inner Galaxy is implied. © 2013 ESO.

We perform an analysis of the diffuse low-frequency Galactic components in the Southern part of the Gould Belt system (130^\circ\leq l\leq 230^\circ and -50^\circ\leq b\leq -10^\circ). Strong ultra-violet (UV) flux coming from the Gould Belt super-association is responsible for bright diffuse foregrounds that we observe from our position inside the system and that can help us improve our knowledge of the Galactic emission. Free-free emission and anomalous microwave emission (AME) are the dominant components at low frequencies (\nu < 40 GHz), while synchrotron emission is very smooth and faint. We separate diffuse free-free emission and AME from synchrotron emission and thermal dust emission by using Planck data, complemented by ancillary data, using the "Correlated Component Analysis" (CCA) component separation method and we compare with the results of cross-correlation of foreground templates with the frequency maps. We estimate the electron temperature T_e from H$\alpha$ and free-free emission using two methods (temperature-temperature plot and cross-correlation) and we obtain T_e ranging from 3100 to 5200 K, for an effective fraction of absorbing dust along the line of sight of 30% (f_d=0.3). We estimate the frequency spectrum of the diffuse AME and we recover a peak frequency (in flux density units) of 25.5 \pm 1.5 GHz. We verify the reliability of this result with realistic simulations that include the presence of biases in the spectral model for the AME and in the free-free template. By combining physical models for vibrational and rotational dust emission and adding the constraints from the thermal dust spectrum from Planck and IRAS we are able to get a good description of the frequency spectrum of the AME for plausible values of the local density and radiation field.

The 4.9 GHz Micro-Arcsecond Scintillation-Induced Variability (MASIV) Survey detected a drop in interstellar scintillation (ISS) for sources at redshifts z "greater than approximately 2", indicating an apparent increase in angular diameter or a decrease in flux density of the most compact components of these sources relative to their extended emission. This can result from intrinsic source size effects or scatter broadening in the intergalactic medium (IGM) in excess of the expected (1 + z)1/2 angular diameter scaling of brightness temperature limited sources resulting from cosmological expansion. We report here 4.9 GHz and 8.4 GHz observations and data analysis for a sample of 140 compact, flat-spectrum sources which may allow us to determine the origin of this angular diameter-redshift relation by exploiting their different wavelength dependences. In addition to using ISS as a cosmological probe, the observations provide additional insight into source morphologies and the characteristics of ISS. As in the MASIV Survey, the variability of the sources is found to be significantly correlated with line-of-sight Hα intensities, confirming its link with ISS. For 25 sources, time delays of about 0.15-3 days are observed between the scintillation patterns at both frequencies, interpreted as being caused by a shift in core positions when probed at different optical depths.Significant correlation is found between ISS amplitudes and source spectral index; in particular, a large drop in ISS amplitudes is observed at α < –0.4 confirming that steep spectrum sources scintillate less. We detect a weakened redshift dependence of ISS at 8.4 GHz over that at 4.9 GHz, with the mean variance at four-day timescales reduced by a factor of 1.8 in the z > 2 sources relative to the z < 2 sources, as opposed to the factor of three decrease observed at 4.9 GHz. This suggests scatter broadening in the IGM, but the interpretation is complicated by subtle selection effects that will be explored

Aims. One of the main obstacles for extracting the cosmic microwave background (CMB) signal from observations in the mm/sub-mm range is the foreground contamination by emission from Galactic component: mainly synchrotron, free-free, and thermal dust emission. The statistical nature of the intrinsic CMB signal makes it essential to minimize the systematic errors in the CMB temperature determinations. Methods. The feasibility of using simple neural networks to extract the CMB signal from detailed simulated data has already been demonstrated. Here, simple neural networks are applied to the WMAP 5 yr temperature data without using any auxiliary data. Results. A simple multilayer perceptron neural network with two hidden layers provides temperature estimates over more than 75 per cent of the sky with random errors significantly below those previously extracted from these data. Also, the systematic errors, i.e. errors correlated with the Galactic foregrounds, are very small. Conclusions. With these results the neural network method is well prepared for dealing with the high-quality CMB data from the ESA Planck Surveyor satellite. © ESO, 2010.

Aims. One of the main obstacles for extracting the cosmic microwave background (CMB) signal from observations in the mm/sub-mm range is the foreground contamination by emission from Galactic component: mainly synchrotron, free-free, and thermal dust emission. The statistical nature of the intrinsic CMB signal makes it essential to minimize the systematic errors in the CMB temperature determinations. Methods. The feasibility of using simple neural networks to extract the CMB signal from detailed simulated data has already been demonstrated. Here, simple neural networks are applied to the WMAP 5 yr temperature data without using any auxiliary data. Results. A simple multilayer perceptron neural network with two hidden layers provides temperature estimates over more than 75 per cent of the sky with random errors significantly below those previously extracted from these data. Also, the systematic errors, i.e. errors correlated with the Galactic foregrounds, are very small. Conclusions. With these results the neural network method is well prepared for dealing with the high-quality CMB data from the ESA Planck Surveyor satellite. © ESO, 2010.

We present new SMA and PdBI observations of the intermediate-mass object IRAS 22198+6336 in the millimeter continuum and in several molecular line transitions. The millimeter continuum emission reveals a strong and compact source with a mass of around 5 Msun and with properties of Class 0 objects. CO emission shows an outflow with a quadrupolar morphology centered on the position of the dust condensation. The CO outflow emission seems to come from two distinct outflows, one of them associated with SiO outflow emission. A large set of molecular lines has been detected toward a compact dense core clearly coincident with the compact millimeter source, and showing a velocity gradient perpendicular to the outflow traced by CO and SiO. The chemically rich spectrum and the rotational temperatures derived from CH$_3$CN and CH$_3$OH (100-150 K) indicate that IRAS 22198+6336 is harbouring one the few intermediate-mass hot cores known at present.

Context. Our knowledge of high-mass star formation has been mainly based on follow-up studies of bright sources found by IRAS, and has thus been incomplete for its earliest phases, which are inconspicuous at infrared wavelengths. With a new generation of powerful bolometer arrays, unbiased large-scale surveys of nearby high-mass star-forming complexes now search for the high-massanalog of low-mass cores and class 0 protostars. Aims. Following the pioneering study of Cygnus X, we investigate the star-forming region NGC 6334–NGC 6357 (~1.7 kpc). Methods. We study the complex NGC 6334–NGC 6357 in an homogeneous way following the previous work of Motte and collaborators. We used the same method to extract the densest cores which are the most likely sites for high-mass star formation. We analyzed the SIMBA/SEST 1.2 mm data presented in Munoz and coworkers, which covers all high-column density areas (Av = 15 mag) of the NGC 6334–NGC 6357 complex and extracted dense cores following the method used for Cygnus X. We constrain the properties of the most massive dense cores (M > 100 M) using new molecular line observations (as SiO, N2H+,H13CO+, HCO+ (1-0) and CH3CN) with Mopra and a complete cross-correlation with infrared databases (MSX, GLIMPSE, MIPSGAL) and literature.Results. We extracted 163 massive dense cores of which 16 are more massive than 200 M. These high-mass dense cores have a typical FWHM size of 0.37 pc, an average mass of M ~ 600 M, and a volume-averaged density of ~1.5 × 105 cm-3. Among these massive dense cores, 6 are good candidates for hosting high-mass infrared-quiet protostars, 9 cores are classified as high-luminosityinfrared protostars, and we find only one high-mass starless clump (~0.3 pc, ~4 × 104 cm-3) that is gravitationally bound. Conclusions. Since our sample is derived from a single molecular complex and covers every embedded phase of high-mass star formation, it provides a statistical estimate of the lifetime of massive stars. In contrast t

We present observations between 1.4 and 18 GHz con?rming that G64.5+0.9 is a new Galacticshell supernova remnant, using the Very Large Array and the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager.The remnant is a shell 8 arcmin in diameter with a spectral index of a = 0.47 ± 0.03 (witha de?ned such that ?ux density S varies with frequency ? as S ? ?-a). There is also emissionnear the centre of the shell,1 arcmin in extent, with a spectral index of a =0.81±0.02. Wedo not ?nd any evidence for spectral breaks for either source within our frequency range. Thenature of the central object is unclear and requires further investigation, but we argue that itis most unlikely to be extragalactic. It is dif?cult to avoid the conclusion that it is associatedwith the shell, although its spectrum is very unlike that of known pulsar wind nebulae.

We present Australia Telescope Compact Array observations towards six massive star formationregions, which, from their strong 24 GHz continuum emission but no compact 8 GHzcontinuum emission, appeared good candidates for hypercompact HII regions. However, theproperties of the ionized gas derived from the 19 to 93 GHz continuum emission and H70a+ H57a radio recombination line data show the majority of these sources are, in fact, regionsof spatially extended, optically thin free–free emission. These extended sources were missedin the previous 8 GHz observations due to a combination of spatial filtering, poor surfacebrightness sensitivity and primary beam attenuation.We consider the implications that a significant number of these extended HII regions mayhave been missed by previous surveys of massive star formation regions. If the originalsample of 21 sources is representative of the population as a whole, the fact that six containpreviously undetected extended free–free emission suggests a large number of regions havebeen mis-classified. Rather than being very young objects prior to UCHII region formation,they are, in fact, associated with extended HII regions and thus significantly older. In addition,inadvertently ignoring a potentially substantial flux contribution (up to ~0.5 Jy) from free–free emission has implications for dust masses derived from sub-mm flux densities. The largespatial scales probed by single-dish telescopes, which do not suffer from spatial filtering, areparticularly susceptible and dust masses may be overestimated by up to a factor of ~2.

We present observations between 14.2 and 17.9 GHz of 16 Galactic H II regions made withthe Arcminute Microkelvin Imager. In conjunction with data from the literature at lower radiofrequencies we investigate the possibility of a spinning dust component in the spectra of theseobjects. We conclude that there is no signi?cant evidence for spinning dust towards thesesources and measure an average spectral index of a = 0.15 ± 0.07 (where S ? ?-a) between1.4 and 17.9 GHz for the sample.

We have analyzed observations from a radioastronomical experiment to survey the sky at decimetric wavelengths along with feed pattern measurements in order to account for the level of ground contamination entering the sidelobes. A major asset of the experiment is the use of a wire mesh fence around the rim-halo shielded antenna with the purpose of levelling out and reducing this source of stray radiation for zenith-centered 1-rpm circular scans. We investigate the shielding performance of the experiment by means of a geometric diffraction model in order to predict the level of the spillover and diffraction sidelobes in the direction of the ground. Using 408 MHz and 1465 MHz feed measurements, the model shows how a weakly-diffracting and unshielded antenna configuration becomes strongly-diffracting and double-shielded as far-field diffraction effects give way to near-field ones. Due to the asymmetric response of the feeds, the orientation of their radiation fields with respect to the secondary must be known a priori before comparing model predictions with observational data. By adjusting the attenuation coefficient of the wire mesh the model is able to reproduce the amount of differential ground pick-up observed during test measurements at 1465 MHz.