Jets in the Fanaroff–Riley class I radio galaxies PKS B1234−723, MRC 1452−517 and PKS B2148−555

We present radio observations made with the Australia Telescope Compact Array to study the jets and lobes of three Fanaroff–Riley class I (FR I) radio galaxies: PKS B1234−723, 1452−517 and B2148−555. The total intensity and polarization radio images of the FR I jets are used to determine jet brightness and width variations, magnetic field structure and fractional polarization. The equipartition pressure is determined as a function of distance from the galaxies to probe the intergalactic medium.     

Radio images of four luminous blue variable stars

We have used the Australia Telescope Compact Array to image four southern luminous blue variable stars: AG Car, He3-519, HR Car and WRA 751, at wavelengths of 3 and 6 cm, and resolutions of 1 and 2 arcsec respectively. With the partial exception of HR Car, all radio images show an unresolved stellar core surrounded by a large ionized gaseous nebula, and agree well with published H α and [N  ii ] optical images. The image of WRA 751 shows a stellar torus or disc. HR Car's radio image is unusual, and seems best explained by the presence of a hot binary companion.     

Simultaneous radio and X-ray observations of Galactic Centre low-mass X-ray binaries

We have performed simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of 13 Galactic Centre low-mass X-ray binaries in 1998 April using the Wide Field Cameras on board BeppoSAX and the Australia Telescope Compact Array, the latter simultaneously at 4.8 and 8.64 GHz. We detect two Z sources, GX 17+2 and GX 5−1, and the unusual 'hybrid' source GX 13+1. Upper limits, which are significantly deeper than previous non-detections, are placed on the radio emission from two more Z sources and seven atoll sources. Hardness–intensity diagrams constructed from the Wide Field Camera data reveal GX 17+2 and GX 5−1 to have been on the lower part of the horizontal branch and/or the upper part of the normal branch at the time of the observations, and the two non-detected Z sources, GX 340+0 and GX 349+2, to have been on the lower part of the normal branch. This is consistent with the previous empirically determined relation between radio and X-ray emission from Z sources, in which radio emission is strongest on the horizontal branch and weakest on the flaring branch. For the first time we have information on the X-ray state of atoll sources, which are clearly radio-quiet relative to the Z sources, during periods of observed radio upper limits. We place limits on the linear polarization from the three detected sources, and use accurate radio astrometry of GX 17+2 to confirm that it is probably not associated with the optical star NP Ser. Additionally we place strong upper limits on the radio emission from the X-ray binary 2S 0921−630, disagreeing with suggestions that it is a Z-source viewed edge-on.     

The radio galaxy Centaurus B

Centaurus B (PKS B1343−601) is one of the brightest and closest radio galaxies, with flux density ∼250 Jy at 408 MHz and redshift 0.01215, but it has not been studied much because of its position (i) close to the Galactic plane (it is also known as G309.6+1.7 and Kes 19) and (ii) in the southern sky. It has recently been suggested as the centre of a highly obscured cluster behind the Galactic plane. We present radio observations made with the Australia Telescope Compact Array and Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope to study the jets and lobes. The total intensity and polarization radio images of the FR I jets are used to determine the jet brightness and width variations, magnetic field structure and fractional polarization. The equipartition pressure calculated along the jets declines rapidly over the first 1 arcmin from the galaxy reaching a constant pressure of 10⁻¹³  h ^−4/7 Pa in the lobes blown in the intracluster medium.     

J06587−5558: a very unusual polarized radio source

We present observations of the X-ray transient XTE J1118+480 during its low/hard X-ray state outburst in 2000, at radio and submillimetre wavelengths with the VLA, Ryle Telescope, MERLIN and JCMT. The high-resolution MERLIN observations reveal all the radio emission (at 5 GHz) to come from a compact core with physical dimensions smaller than 65 d (kpc) au. The combined radio data reveal a persistent and inverted radio spectrum, with spectral index ∼ +0.5. The source is also detected at 350 GHz, on an extrapolation of the radio spectrum. Flat or inverted radio spectra are now known to be typical of the low/hard X-ray state, and are believed to arise in synchrotron emission from a partially self-absorbed jet. Comparison of the radio and submillimetre data with reported near-infrared observations suggest that the synchrotron emission from the jet extends to the near-infrared, or possibly even optical regimes. In this case the ratio of jet power to total X-ray luminosity is likely to be P _J L _X≫0.01, depending on the radiative efficiency and relativistic Doppler factor of the jet. Based on these arguments we conclude that during the period of our observations XTE J1118+480 was producing a powerful outflow which extracted a large fraction of the total accretion power.     

G332.5−5.6, a new Galactic supernova remnant

We present radio observations of the source G332.5−5.6, a candidate supernova remnant (SNR). Observations have been performed with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) at two frequencies, 1.4 and 2.4 GHz. Our results confirm that G332.5−5.6 is an SNR, with a spectral index  α=−0.7 ± 0.2  for the whole source and an average fractional polarization of ∼35 per cent at 2.4 GHz. The central component is coincident with extended X-ray emission, and the distance to the SNR is estimated to be ∼3.4 kpc. Based on its radio and X-ray morphology, this SNR should be classified as a composite, and we suggest that it belongs to a trident-shaped subclass like G291.0−0.1.     

On the radio spectrum of CI Cygni: a test of popular models for symbiotic stars

We have determined the spectral energy distribution at wavelengths between 6 cm and 850 μm for the prototypical S(stellar)-type symbiotic star, CI Cygni, during quiescence. Data were obtained simultaneously with the Very Large Array and the SCUBA submillimetre (sub-mm) camera on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. The data have allowed us to determine the free–free turnover frequency of the ionized component, facilitating a model-dependent estimate of the binary separation to compare with the known orbital parameters of CI Cyg and to critically test the known models for radio emission from symbiotic stars. In particular, our data rule out the two most popular models: ionization of the giant wind by Lyman continuum photons from its hot companion, and emission resulting from the interaction of winds from the two binary components.     

A new search for distant radio galaxies in the Southern hemisphere – I. Sample definition and radio properties

This paper introduces a new program to find high-redshift radio galaxies in the Southern hemisphere through ultrasteep spectrum (USS) selection. We define a sample of 234 USS radio sources with spectral indices α⁸⁴³₄₀₈≤−1.0 ( S _ν∝ν^α) and flux densities S ₄₀₈≥ 200 mJy in a region of 0.35 sr, chosen by cross-correlating the revised 408 MHz Molonglo Reference Catalogue, the 843 MHz Sydney University Molonglo Sky Survey and the 1400 MHz NRAO VLA Sky Survey in the overlap region −40° < δ < −30°. We present Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) high-resolution 1384 and 2368 MHz radio data for each source, which we use to analyse the morphological, spectral index and polarization properties of our sample. We find that 85 per cent of the sources have observed-frame spectral energy distributions that are straight over the frequency range 408–2368 MHz, and that, on average, sources with smaller angular sizes have slightly steeper spectral indices and lower fractional linear polarization. Fractional polarization is anticorrelated with flux density at both 1400 and 2368 MHz. We also use the ATCA data to determine observed-frame Faraday rotation measures for half of the sample.     

Maser maps and magnetic field of OH 300.969+1.147

The southern maser site OH 300.969+1.147 has been studied using the Long Baseline Array of the Australia Telescope National Facility. The 1665- and 1667-MHz hydroxyl ground-state transitions were observed simultaneously. A series of maps with 0.1-arcsec spatial resolution, at velocity spacing  0.09 km s⁻¹  , and in both senses of circular polarization reveals 59 small diameter maser spots. The spots are scattered over 2 arcsec, coincident with a strong ultracompact H  ii region, at a distance of 4.3 kpc. 17 Zeeman pairs of oppositely polarized spots were found, all yielding magnetic field estimates towards us (negative), ranging from −1.1 to −4.7 mG, with a median value of −3.5 mG. Excited state masers of OH at 6035 and 6030 MHz at this site also display Zeeman pairs revealing a magnetic field of −5.0 mG. Weak methanol maser emission is intermingled with the OH masers, but there is no detectable closely related water maser. The consistent magnetic field direction found within this site is a striking feature of several other maser sites associated with strong H  ii regions studied in comparable detail. We interpret the site as a mature region nearing the end of the brief evolutionary stage that can support maser emission.     

The radio counterpart of the likely TeV binary HESS J0632+057

The few known γ-ray binary systems are all associated with variable radio and X-ray emission. The TeV source HESS J0632+057, apparently associated with the Be star MWC 148, is plausibly a new member of this class. Following the identification of a variable X-ray counterpart to the TeV source we conducted Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and Very Large Array (VLA) observations in 2008 June–September to search for the radio counterpart of this object. A point-like radio source at the position of the star is detected in both 1280-MHz GMRT and 5-GHz VLA observations, with an average spectral index, α, of ∼0.6. In the VLA data there is significant flux variability on ∼month time-scales around the mean flux density of ≈0.3 mJy. These radio properties (and the overall spectral energy distribution) are consistent with an interpretation of HESS J0632+057 as a lower power analogue of the established γ-ray binary systems.     

A deep search for pulsar wind nebulae using pulsar gating

Using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) we have imaged the fields around five promising pulsar candidates to search for radio pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). We have used the ATCA in its pulsar-gating mode; this enables an image to be formed containing only off-pulse visibilities, thereby dramatically improving the sensitivity to any underlying PWN. Data from the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope were also used to provide sensitivity on larger spatial scales. This survey found a faint new PWN around PSR B0906−49; here we report on non-detections of PWNe towards PSRs B1046−58, B1055−52, B1610−50 and J1105−6107. Our radio observations of the field around PSR B1055−52 argue against previous claims of an extended X-ray and radio PWN associated with the pulsar. If these pulsars power unseen, compact radio PWNe, upper limits on the radio flux indicate that a fraction of less than 10⁻⁶ of their spin-down energy is used to power this emission. Alternatively, PSRs B1046−58 and B1610−50 may have relativistic winds similar to other young pulsars and the unseen PWN may be resolved and fainter than our surface brightness sensitivity threshold. We can then determine upper limits on the local interstellar medium (ISM) density of 2.2×10⁻³ and 1×10⁻² cm⁻³, respectively. Furthermore, we derive the spatial velocities of these pulsars to be ∼450 km s⁻¹ and thus rule out the association of PSR B1610−50 with supernova remnant (SNR) G332.4+00.1 (Kes 32). Strong limits on the ratio of unpulsed to pulsed emission are also determined for three pulsars.     

The symbiotic star CH Cygni – I. Non-thermal bipolar jets

Very Large Array surface brightness and spectral index maps of the evolving extended emission of the triple symbiotic star CH Cygni are presented. These are derived from observations at 4.8, 8.4 and 14 GHz between 1985 and 1999. The maps are dominated by thermal emission around the central bright peak of the nebula, but we also find unambiguous non-thermal emission associated with the extended regions. Our observations confirm that this is a jet. The central region has been associated with the stellar components through Hubble Space Telescope imaging. If the jets are the result of ejection events at outburst, expansion velocities are consistent with those from other measurement methods. We propose that the non-thermal emission is caused by material ejected in the bipolar jets interacting with the circumstellar wind envelope. The resulting shocks lead to local enhancements in the magnetic field from the compact component of the order of 3 mG.     

The Australia Telescope 20-GHz (AT20G) Survey: the Bright Source Sample

The Australia Telescope 20-GHz (AT20G) Survey is a blind survey of the whole southern sky at 20 GHz (with follow-up observations at 4.8 and 8.6 GHz) carried out with the Australia Telescope Compact Array from 2004 to 2007.
The Bright Source Sample (BSS) is a complete flux-limited subsample of the AT20G Survey catalogue comprising 320 extragalactic     ) radio sources south of  δ=−15°  with      Jy. Of these, 218 have near simultaneous observations at 8 and 5 GHz.
In this paper we present an analysis of radio spectral properties in total intensity and polarization, size, optical identifications and redshift distribution of the BSS sources. The analysis of the spectral behaviour shows spectral curvature in most sources with spectral steepening that increases at higher frequencies (the median spectral index α, assuming   S ∝ν^α  , decreases from  α^8.6_4.8= 0.11  between 4.8 and 8.6 GHz to  α²⁰_8.6=−0.16  between 8.6 and 20 GHz), even if the sample is dominated by flat spectra sources (85 per cent of the sample has  α²⁰_8.6 > −0.5)  . The almost simultaneous spectra in total intensity and polarization allowed us a comparison of the polarized and total intensity spectra: polarized fraction slightly increases with frequency, but the shapes of the spectra have little correlation. Optical identifications provided an estimation of redshift for 186 sources with a median value of 1.20 and 0.13, respectively, for QSO and galaxies.     

Maser maps and magnetic field of OH 323.459−0.079

The maser site OH 323.459−0.079 has been studied using the Long Baseline Array of the Australia Telescope National Facility. Simultaneous observations of the 1665- and 1667-MHz hydroxyl ground-state transitions yielded a series of maps at a velocity spacing of 0.18 km s⁻¹, in both senses of circular polarization, with tenth-arcsec spatial resolution. Many small-diameter maser spots were detected within a 2-arcsec region. Pairs of spots with the same position, but with right- and left-hand circular polarization offset in frequency, reveal Zeeman splitting. Six pairs were found, and in four cases, the pairs at 1667 and 1665 MHz mutually corroborate the derived values of magnetic field and (central) kinematic velocity. Over the whole site, magnetic field estimates range from +1.47 to +4.13 mG with a median value of +2.5 mG. The excited state of OH at 6035 MHz also displays Zeeman pairs revealing a similar magnetic field, and we show that the most prominent of these pairs coincides with the most prominent pair at 1665 and 1667 MHz.
We also compared the morphology and kinematics at 1665 and 1667 MHz with those of maser emission from the excited state of OH at 6035 MHz and from methanol at 6668 MHz. All three varieties of masers appear intermingled, and associated with an ultracompact H  ii region. In many respects we find that OH 323.459−0.079 is similar to W3(OH), one of the few other maser sites yet studied in comparable detail.     

Detection of 6-cm radio-continuum emission from an EB (β-Lyrae type) variable star – HIP 68718

We report the 6-cm radio-continuum detection of a previously unknown radio star, HIP 68718, identified by the Hipparcos satellite as an EB or β-Lyrae type optical variable. Only five prior radio detections of this type are reported in the literature. The radio source (VLA J140402−002145) was detected at the 6σ level, with an associated <1 arcsec position error. The radio-optical separation is 0.2 arcsec and is well within the position errors. A ROSAT X-ray source (RXJ 1404.0−0021) is located 4.5 arcsec from the radio position. Based on the component spectral types (F5V + G5V), 1.52 d period, variations in the peak of the light curve and the X-ray and 6-cm radio luminosities, we conclude the star is a candidate RS CVn. The binary is in a near-contact phase based on the asymmetric light curve (O'Connell effect). Evidence of two faint possible companion objects was also found in the J - and K -band Two-Micron All-Sky Survey images.     

VLT spectroscopy of XTE J2123−058 during quiescence: the masses of the two components

We present Very Large Telescope (VLT) low-resolution spectroscopy of the neutron star X-ray transient XTE J2123−058 during its quiescent state. Our data reveal the presence of a K7V companion which contributes 77 per cent to the total flux at λ 6300 and orbits the neutron star at     . Contrary to other soft X-ray transients (SXTs), the H _α emission is almost exactly in antiphase with the velocity curve of the optical companion. Using the light-centre technique we obtain     and hence     This, combined with a previous determination of the inclination angle     yields     and     . M ₂ agrees well with the observed spectral type. Doppler tomography of the H α emission shows a non-symmetric accretion disc distribution mimicking that seen in SW Sex stars. Although we find a large systemic velocity of −     this value is consistent with the galactic rotation velocity at the position of J2123−058, and hence a halo origin. The formation scenario of J2123−058 is still unresolved.     

Timing of the accreting millisecond pulsar XTE J1814−338

We present a precise timing analysis of the accreting millisecond pulsar XTE J1814−338 during its 2003 outburst, observed by RXTE . A full orbital solution is given for the first time; Doppler effects induced by the motion of the source in the binary system were corrected, leading to a refined estimate of the orbital period,   P _orb= 15 388.7229(2)  s, and of the projected semimajor axis,   a sin  i / c = 0.390633(9)  light-second. We could then investigate the spin behaviour of the accreting compact object during the outburst. We report here a refined value of the spin frequency  (ν= 314.356 108 79(1) Hz)  and the first estimate of the spin frequency derivative of this source while accreting     . This spin-down behaviour arises when both the fundamental frequency and the second harmonic are taken into consideration. We discuss this in the context of the interaction between the disc and the quickly rotating magnetosphere, at accretion rates sufficiently low to allow a threading of the accretion disc in regions where the Keplerian velocity is slower than the magnetosphere velocity. We also present indications of a jitter of the pulse phases around the mean trend, which we argue results from movements of the accreting hotspots in response to variations of the accretion rate.     

The temperature of the warm neutral medium in the Milky Way

We report high-spectral-resolution Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) H  i 21-cm observations resulting in the detection of the warm neutral medium (WNM) of the Galaxy in absorption against two extragalactic radio sources, PKS 1814−637 and PKS 0407−658. The two lines of sight were selected on the basis of the simplicity of their absorption profiles and the strength of the background sources; the high velocity resolution of the spectra then enabled us to estimate the kinetic temperatures of the absorbing gas by fitting multiple Gaussians to the absorption profiles. Four separate WNM components were detected towards the two sources, with peak optical depths  τ_max= (1.0 ± 0.08) × 10⁻², (1.4 ± 0.2) × 10⁻³, (2.2 ± 0.5) × 10⁻³  and  (3.4 ± 0.5) × 10⁻³  and kinetic temperatures   T _k= 3127 ± 300, 3694 ± 1595, 3500 ± 1354  and  2165 ± 608 K  , respectively. All four components were thus found to have temperatures in the thermally unstable range  500 < T _k < 5000 K  ; this suggests that thermal equilibrium has not been reached throughout the WNM.     

Sakurai's object: the ionized nebula at radio wavelengths

Sakurai's object (V4334 Sgr) is a planetary nebula nucleus which is undergoing its final helium shell flash. This is the first of these rare and important events to be observable with non-optical instruments. We report the first radio detection, using a short (2-h) observation with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 4.86 GHz. The radio emission structure is coincident with the 34-arcsec diameter planetary nebula seen in optical emission lines. We find a statistical distance ∼ 3.8 ± 0.6 kpc, with a range of 1.9 <  D  < 5.3 kpc, depending on the planetary nebula (PN) mass. While we have no direct evidence for a new (post-flash) stellar wind, we estimate an upper limit to the mass-loss rate due to any such wind of 1.7 × 10⁻⁷ M⊙ yr⁻¹. The number of emitting knots in the radio-visible nebula indicates an electron density of ∼ 2 × 10⁸ m⁻³ in those knots, and a total emitting ionized mass of ∼ 0.15 M⊙, at an assumed distance of 3.8 kpc. The radio flux density indicates an Hβ flux of ∼ 6 × 10⁻¹⁶ W m⁻², suggesting an extinction E ( B  −  V ) ∼ 1.15, comparable with reddening estimates in the direction of V4334 Sgr.     

The broad-band noise characteristics of selected anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft gamma-ray repeaters

We present the broad-band noise structure of selected anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) in the 2–60 keV energy band. We have analysed Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array archival light curves for four AXPs and one SGR. We detect that the persistent emission of these sources shows band-limited noise at low frequencies in the range 0.005–0.05 Hz varying from 2.5 to 70 per cent integrated rms in times of prolonged quiescence and following outbursts. We discovered band-limited red noise in 1E 2259+586 only for ∼2 yr after its major 2002 outburst. The system shows no broad-band noise otherwise. Although this rise in noise in 1E 2259+586 occurred following an outburst which included a rotational glitch, the other glitching AXPs showed no obvious change in broad-band noise, thus it does not seem that this noise is correlated with glitches. The only source that showed significant variation in broad-band noise was 1E   1048.1−5937  , where the noise gradually rose for 1.95 yr at a rate of ∼3.6 per cent per year. For this source the increases in broad-band noise was not correlated with the large increases in persistent and pulsed flux, or its two short SGR-like bursts. This rise in noise did commence after a long burst, however, given the sparsity of this event, and the possibility that similar bursts went unnoticed the trigger for the rise is noise in 1E   1048.1−5937  is not as clear as for 1E 2259+586. The other three sources indicate a persistent band-limited noise at low levels in comparison.