Scanning the Milky Way for 10 years: Discoveries from the Sino-German 6 cm polarization survey of the Galactic plane

• DOI: 10.1360/tb-2021-0038
• Publication Date: 2021-04-14T07:34:32Z
• Authors: Xu-Yang Gao; Xiao-Hui Sun; Jin-Lin Han; Li Xiao; Wei-Bin Shi; Hui Shi; Chen Wang
• Keywords: Galactic plane

<p indent=0mm>Radio continuum polarization observation is a powerful tool to study the properties of Galactic interstellar medium. By using 25-m radio telescope Xinjiang Astronomical Observatories Chinese Academy Sciences Sino-German 6 cm survey plane was carried out by National and Max-Planck-Institute for Radio Astronomy. The observed sky coverage in region from 10° 230° longitude within ±5° latitude. far at highest frequency conducted ground-based telescope. Through ten-year efforts German scientists, revealed distribution total intensity emission orientation magnetic fields, which allows us paint scroll Galaxy with data obtained China. At such higher than that other surveys over world, <sc>6 cm</sc> observations experience less Faraday rotations, are thus able detect polarized further distance. Based on data, we have series results supernova remnants (SNRs), HII regions screens high rotation measures. Four new SNRs been discovered, among G178.2–4.2 G25.1–2.3 published 2011 first discovery first-hand data. Measurements flux densities, spectra were performed more 70 known SNRs. observed, time, G16.2–2.7, G69.7+1.0, G84.2–0.8, G85.9–0.6, G205.5+0.5 G206.9+2.3. accurate measurements densities crucial determine 20 statistic studies made 401 toward can be precisely estimated. result complemented WISE catalog regards extended sources fixed mistakes commonly used catalog. For diffuse emission, detected many intriguing structures measures cannot low frequencies because severe depolarization. These structures, referred as screens, do not correspondents, indicating necessity understanding public already generated impacts relevant research fields. project has demonstrated medium size <sc>25 m</sc> dish also capable achieving great science, key find niche this case plane. only produced exciting but trained next generation astronomers who now active large facilities Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) Square Kilometre Array (SKA).