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In this paper, we present the analysis of incoherent non-thermal radio emission from a sample of hot magnetic stars, ranging from early-B to early-A spectral type. Spanning a wide range of stellar parameters and wind properties, these stars display a commonality in their radio emission which presents new challenges to the wind scenario as originally conceived. It was thought that relativistic electrons, responsible for the radio emission, originate in current sheets formed, where the wind opens the magnetic field lines. However, the true mass-loss rates from the cooler stars are too small to explain the observed non-thermal broad-band radio spectra. Instead, we suggest the existence of a radiation belt located inside the inner magnetosphere, similar to that of Jupiter. Such a structure explains the overall indifference of the broad-band radio emissions on wind mass-loss rates. Further, correlating the radio luminosities from a larger sample of magnetic stars with their stellar parameters, the combined roles of rotation and magnetic properties have been empirically determined. Finally, our sample of early-type magnetic stars suggests a scaling relationship between the non-thermal radio luminosity and the electric voltage induced by the magnetosphere's co-rotation, which appears to hold for a broader range of stellar types with dipole-dominated magnetospheres (like the cases of the planet Jupiter and the ultracool dwarf stars and brown dwarfs). We conclude that well-ordered and stable rotating magnetospheres share a common physical mechanism for supporting the generation of non-thermal electrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the broad context of the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) early-science phase and preparation for the related surveys, we report the first radio observations towards the Galactic plane. The targeted field was chosen to encompass the entire SCORPIO survey, one of the several pathfinder projects for the Evolutionary Map of the Universe survey planned with the ASKAP. The observations were carried out in 2018 January at a central frequency of 912 MHz, with 15 operational antennas, and covered a total area of about 40 square degrees in three different pointings. The final image has a resolution of 24.1 × 21.1 arcsec2 and a median rms of |$541\ \mu \mathrm{Jy\ beam}^{-1}$|⁠. We were able to extract 3545 candidate sources, 75 per cent of them point sources. For a preliminary validation, a comparison with the 843 MHz Molonglo Galactic Plane Survey is presented. Although the present observations were obtained with the ASKAP only partially deployed, its unique capability to map complex sources, such as those inhabiting the Galactic plane, at different angular scales, is highlighted. Within the SCORPIO field all the previously classified H  ii regions, Planetary Nebulae (PNe), and supernovae remnants (SNRs), previously known to be radio sources, were detected. We also report new radio detections from several H  ii regions previously classified as 'candidates' or 'radio quiet' and from half of all the PNe in the SCORPIO field with robust classification. Most notably, we find numerous unclassified, extended sources which constitute a promising sample of candidates H  ii regions and SNRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-thermal radio emission of main-sequence early-type stars is a signature of stellar magnetism. We present multiwavelength (1.6–16.7 GHz) ATCA measurements of the early-type magnetic star ρ OphC, which is a flat-spectrum non-thermal radio source. The ρ OphC radio emission is partially circularly polarized with a steep spectral dependence: the fraction of polarized emission is about |$60{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| at the lowest frequency sub-band (1.6 GHz) while is undetected at 16.7 GHz. This is clear evidence of coherent Auroral Radio Emission (ARE) from the ρ OphC magnetosphere. Interestingly, the detection of the ρ OphC's ARE is not related to a peculiar rotational phase. This is a consequence of the stellar geometry, which makes the strongly anisotropic radiation beam of the amplified radiation always pointed towards Earth. The circular polarization sign evidences mainly amplification of the ordinary mode of the electromagnetic wave, consistent with a maser amplification occurring within dense regions. This is indirect evidence of the plasma evaporation from the polar caps, a phenomenon responsible for the thermal X-ray aurorae. ρ OphC is not the first early-type magnetic star showing the O-mode dominated ARE but is the first star with the ARE always on view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new ATCA multiwavelength radio measurements (range 2.1–21.2 GHz) of the early-type magnetic star ρ Oph A, performed in 2019 March during three different observing sessions. These new ATCA observations evidence a clear rotational modulation of the stellar radio emission and the detection of coherent auroral radio emission from ρ Oph A at 2.1 GHz. We collected high-resolution optical spectra of ρ Oph A acquired by several instruments over a time span of about 10 yr. We also report new magnetic field measurements of ρ Oph A that, together with the radio light curves and the temporal variation of the equivalent width of the He  i line (λ = 5015 Å), were used to constrain the rotation period and the stellar magnetic field geometry. The above results have been used to model the stellar radio emission, modelling that allowed us to constrain the physical condition of ρ Oph A's magnetosphere. Past XMM–Newton measurements showed periodic X-ray pulses from ρ Oph A. We correlate the X-ray light curve with the magnetic field geometry of ρ Oph A. The already published XMM–Newton data have been re-analysed showing that the X-ray spectra of ρ Oph A are compatible with the presence of a non-thermal X-ray component. We discuss a scenario where the emission phenomena occurring at the extremes of the electromagnetic spectrum, radio and X-ray, are directly induced by the same plasma process. We interpret the observed X-ray and radio features of ρ Oph A as having an auroral origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the detection of the auroral radio emission from the early-type magnetic star HD 142301. New VLA observations of HD 142301 detected highly polarized amplified emission occurring at fixed stellar orientations. The coherent emission mechanism responsible for the stellar auroral radio emission amplifies the radiation within a narrow beam, making the star where this phenomenon occurs similar to a radio lighthouse. The elementary emission process responsible for the auroral radiation mainly amplifies one of the two magneto-ionic modes of the electromagnetic wave. This explains why the auroral pulses are highly circularly polarized. The auroral radio emission of HD 142301 is characterized by a reversal of the sense of polarization as the star rotates. The effective magnetic field curve of HD 142301 is also available making it possible to correlate the transition from the left to the right-hand circular polarization sense (and vice versa) of the auroral pulses with the known orientation of the stellar magnetic field. The results presented in this letter have implications for the estimation of the dominant magneto-ionic mode amplified within the HD 142301 magnetosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At radio wavelengths, solar-type stars emit thermal free–free and gyroresonance, gyrosynchrotron, and impulsive coherent emission. Thermal free–free emission originates at layers where the optical depth is close to unit, while high brightness temperature and variable emission can be due to flares via gyrosynchrotron emission. We observed the |$\alpha \,$| Cen  system with the Australian Telescope Compact Array at 2 GHz for three days and 17 GHz for one day. Both stars have been detected at 17 GHz, while only an upper limit has been obtained at low frequency despite the longer integration time. The brightness temperatures are consistent with the temperature of the upper chromosphere of the Sun. Inverting the formulae of the free–free emission, the average electron density of the plasma has been inferred. The same procedure was applied to the data in the millimetre recently acquired with ALMA. A comparison with the atmospheric solar models reveals a higher level of activity in |$\alpha \,$| Cen B rather than in |$\alpha \,$| Cen A, even if still at quiescent level. The non-detection at 2 GHz allows us to put a lower limit in the filling factor of active regions. The claimed detection of an Earth-sized planet in close orbit to |$\alpha \,$| Cen B, although doubtful, opens the opportunity to check the existence of Star–Planet Magnetic Interaction. We constructed dynamic spectra in the 1.3–2.9GHz of the two stars to search for time-variable coherent emission but obtained a null result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new radio/millimeter measurements of the hot magnetic star HR5907 obtained with the VLA and ALMA interferometers. We find that HR5907 is the most radio luminous early type star in the cm-mm band among those presently known. Its multi-wavelength radio light curves are strongly variable with an amplitude that increases with radio frequency. The radio emission can be explained by the populations of the non-thermal electrons accelerated in the current sheets on the outer border of the magnetosphere of this fast-rotating magnetic star. We classify HR5907 as another member of the growing class of strongly magnetic fastrotating hot stars where the gyro-synchrotron emission mechanism efficiently operates in their magnetospheres. The new radio observations of HR5907 are combined with archival X-ray data to study the physical condition of its magnetosphere. The X-ray spectra of HR5907 show tentative evidence for the presence of non-thermal spectral component. We suggest that non-thermal X-rays originate a stellar X-ray aurora due to streams of non-thermal electrons impacting on the stellar surface. Taking advantage of the relation between the spectral indices of the X-ray power-law spectrum and the non-thermal electron energy distributions, we perform 3-D modelling of the radio emission for HR5907. The wavelength-dependent radio light curves probe magnetospheric layers at different heights above the stellar surface. A detailed comparison between simulated and observed radio light curves leads us to conclude that the stellar magnetic field of HR 5907 is likely non-dipolar, providing further indirect evidence of the complex magnetic field topology of HR5907. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the next few years the classification of radio sources observed by the large surveys will be a challenging problem and spectral index is a powerful tool for addressing it. Here we present an algorithm to estimate the spectral index of sources from multiwavelength radio images. We have applied our algorithm to SCORPIO, a Galactic plane survey centred around 2.1 GHz carried out with Australian Telescope Compact Array and found we can measure reliable spectral indices only for sources stronger than 40 times the rms noise. Above a threshold of 1 mJy, the source density in SCORPIO is 20 per cent greater than in a typical extragalactic field, like Australia Telescope Large Area Survey because of the presence of Galactic sources. Among this excess population, 16 sources per square degree have a spectral index of about zero suggesting optically thin thermal emission such as H II regions and planetary nebulae, while 12 per square degree present a rising spectrum, suggesting optically thick thermal emission such as stars and UCH II regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we simulate the cyclic circularly polarized pulses of the ultracool dwarf TVLM 513-46546, observed with the Very Large Array at 4.88 and 8.44 GHz on 2006 May, by using a three-dimensional model of the auroral radio emission from the stellar magnetosphere. During this epoch, the radio light curves are characterized by two pulses left-hand polarized at 4.88 GHz, and one doubly peaked (of opposite polarizations) pulse at 8.44 GHz. To take into account the possible deviation from the dipolar symmetry of the stellarmagnetic-field topology, the model described in this paper is also able to simulate the auroral radio emission from a magnetosphere shaped like an offset dipole. To reproduce the timing and pattern of the observed pulses, we explored the space of parameters controlling the auroral beaming pattern and the geometry of the magnetosphere. Through the analysis of the TVLM 513-46546 auroral radio emission, we derive some indications on the magnetospheric field topology that is able to simultaneously reproduce the timing and patterns of the auroral pulses measured at 4.88 and 8.44 GHz. Each set of model solutions simulates two auroral pulses (singly or doubly peaked) per period. To explain the presence of only one 8.44 GHz pulse per period, we analyse the case of auroral radio emission limited only to a magnetospheric sector activated by an external body, like the case of the interaction of Jupiter with its moons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the multiwavelength properties of the magnetic early B-type star HR 7355. We present its radio light curves at several frequencies, taken with the Jansky Very Large Array, and X-ray spectra, taken with the XMM-Newton X-ray telescope. Modelling of the radio light curves for the Stokes I and V provides a quantitative analysis of the HR 7355 magnetosphere. A comparison between HR 7355 and a similar analysis for the Ap star CU Vir allows us to study how the different physical parameters of the two stars affect the structure of the respective magnetospheres where the non-thermal electrons originate. Our model includes a cold thermal plasma component that accumulates at high magnetic latitudes that influences the radio regime, but does not give rise to X-ray emission. Instead, the thermal X-ray emission arises from shocks generated by wind stream collisions close to the magnetic equatorial plane. The analysis of the X-ray spectrum of HR 7355 also suggests the presence of a non-thermal radiation. Comparison between the spectral index of the power-law X-ray energy distribution with the non-thermal electron energy distribution indicates that the non-thermal X-ray component could be the auroral signature of the non-thermal electrons that impact the stellar surface, the same non-thermal electrons that are responsible for the observed radio emission. On the basis of our analysis, we suggest a novel model that simultaneously explains the X-ray and the radio features of HR 7355 and is likely relevant for magnetospheres of other magnetic early-type stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a multiwavelength study of the Galactic luminous blue variable HR Carinae, based on new high-resolution mid-infrared (IR) and radio images obtained with the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), which have been complemented by far-infrared Herschel--Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) observations and ATCA archive data. The Herschel images reveal the large-scale distribution of the dusty emitting nebula, which extends mainly to the north-east direction, up to 70 arcsec from the central star, and is oriented along the direction of the space motion of the star. In the mid-infrared images, the brightness distribution is characterized by two arc-shaped structures, tracing an inner envelope surrounding the central star more closely. At radio wavelengths, the ionized gas emission lies on the opposite side of the cold dust with respect to the position of the star, as if the ionized front were confined by the surrounding medium in the north--south direction. Comparison with previous data indicates significant changes in the radio nebula morphology and in the mass-loss rate from the central star, which has increased from 6.1 x 10-6 Mʘ yr-1 in 1994--1995 to 1.17 x 10-5 Mʘ yr-1 in 2014. We investigate possible scenarios that could have generated the complex circumstellar environment revealed by our multiwavelength data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present radio observations of 18 MIPSGAL bubbles performed at 5 GHz (6 cm) with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in configuration B and BnA. The observations were aimed at understanding what kind of information high-resolution and high-sensitivity radio maps can supply on the circum-stellar envelopes of different kinds of evolved stars and what their comparison with infrared images with similar resolution can tell us. We found that the 18 bubbles can be grouped into five categories according to their radio morphology. The three bubbles presenting a central point source in the radio images all correspond to luminous blue variable star candidates. 11 bubbles show an elliptical shape and the total lack of a central object in the radio, and are likely associated with planetary nebulae. Under this assumption, we derive their distance, their ionized mass and their distribution on the Galactic plane. We discuss the possibility that the MIPSGAL bubbles catalogue (428 objects) may contain a large fraction of all Galactic planetary nebulae located at a distance between 1.4 kpc and 6.9 kpc and lying in the MIPSGAL field of view. Among the remaining bubbles, we identify also an H II region and a proto-planetary nebula candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron cyclotron maser is the coherent emission process that gives rise to the radio lighthouse effect observed in the hot magnetic chemically peculiar star CU Virginis. It has also been proposed to explain the highly circularly polarized radio pulses observed in some ultracool dwarfs with spectral type earlier than M7. Coherent events of this kind resemble auroral radio emission from the magnetized planets of the Solar system. In this article, we present a three-dimensional model able to simulate the timing and profile of the pulses emitted by those stars characterized by a dipolar magnetic field by following the hypothesis of the laminar source model, used to explain the beaming of terrestrial auroral kilometric radiation. This model proves to be a powerful tool with which to understand the auroral radio emission phenomenon, allowing us to derive some general conclusions about the effects of the model's free parameters on the features of coherent pulses and to learn more about the detectability of such pulsed radio emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio emission has been detected in a broad variety of stellar objects from all stages of stellar evolution. However, most of our knowledge originates from targeted observations of small samples, which are strongly biased to sources which are peculiar at other wavelengths. In order to tackle this problem we have conducted a deep 1.4 GHz survey by using the Australian Telescope Compact Array, with a net bandwidth of 1.7 GHz (1.4-3.1 GHz), following the same observing setup as that used for the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey project, this time choosing a region more appropriate for stellar work. In this paper, the Stellar Continuum Originating from Radio Physics In Ourgalaxy (SCORPIO) project is presented as well as results from the pilot experiment. The achieved rms is 30 µJy and the angular resolution ˜10 arcsec. 614 point-like sources have been extracted just from the pilot field. Only 34 of them are classified in SIMBAD or the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. About 80 per cent of the extracted sources are reported in one of the inspected catalogues and 50 per cent of them appears to belong to a reddened stellar/Galactic population. However, the evaluation of extragalactic contaminants is very difficult without further investigations. Interesting results have been obtained for extended radio sources that fall in the SCORPIO field. Many roundishlike structures (indicated as bubbles in the following) have been found, some of which are classified at other wavelengths. However, for all of these sources, our project has provided us with images of unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted radio observations searching for OH 18-cm maser emission from a sample of 169 unclassified MIPSGAL compact Galactic bubbles. These sources are thought to be the circumstellar envelopes of different kinds of evolved stars. Our observations were aimed at shedding light on the nature of MIPSGAL bubbles, since their characterization is a fundamental aid for the development of accurate physical models of stellar and Galaxy evolution. The maser emission is observationally linked to the last stages of the life of low- and intermediate-mass stars, which may constitute a significant fraction of the MIPSGAL bubbles. In particular OH masers are usually observed towards post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stars. Our observations were performed with the Green Bank Telescope and, for each source, produced spectra around the four OH 18-cm transitions. The observations were compared with archive interferometer data in order to exclude possible contamination from nearby sources. The main result is that the OH maser emission is not a common feature among the MIPSGAL bubbles, with only one certain detection. We conclude that among the MIPSGAL bubbles the post-AGB stars could be very rare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present radio observations, made using the Very Large Array and the Green Bank Telescope, of two supernova remnants and four planetary nebulae. These objects are part of a larger sample of radio sources, discussed in a previous paper, a counterpart of the MIPSGAL 24-μm compact bubbles. For the two supernova remnants, we have combined the interferometric observations with single-dish data to obtain both a high resolution and a good sensitivity to extended structures. We discuss in detail the entire combination procedure adopted and the reliability of the resulting maps. For one supernova remnant, we pose a more stringent upper limit for the flux density of its undetected pulsar, and we also show prominent spectral index spatial variations, probably resulting either from inhomogeneities in the magnetic field and in its ejecta or from an interaction between the supernova shock and molecular clouds. We eventually use the 5-GHz maps of the four planetary nebulae to estimate their distances and their ionized masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this paper, we present new and archive radio measurements obtained with the Very Large Array of the magnetic chemically peculiar (MCP) star Orionis E. The radio data have been obtained at different frequencies and they are well distributed along the rotational phases. We analyse in detail the radio emission from Ori E with the aim of finding evidence for circularly polarized radio pulses. Up to now, among MCP stars, only CU Virginis has shown 100 per cent polarized time-stable radio pulses, explained as highly directive electron cyclotron maser emission, visible from Earth at particular rotational phases, like a pulsar. Our analysis shows that there is no hint of coherent emission at frequencies below 15 GHz. We conclude that the presence of a quadrupolar component of the magnetic field, dominant within few stellar radii from the star, where the maser emission should be generated, inhibits the onset of the cyclotron maser instability in Ori E. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searching for variability, we have observed a sample of hot post-asymptotic giant branch stars and young planetary nebula candidates with the Very Large Array at 4.8, 8.4 and 22.4 GHz. The sources had been previously detected in the radio continuum, which is a proof that the central stars have started ionizing their circumstellar envelopes, and an increase in radio flux with time can be expected as a result of the progression of the ionization front. Such a behaviour has been found in IRAS 18062+2410, whose radio modelling has allowed us to determine that its ionized mass has increased from 10 to in 8 yr and its envelope has become optically thin at lower frequencies. Different temporal behaviours have been found for three other sources. IRAS 1755 has shown a possibly periodic pattern and an inversion of its radio spectral index, as expected from a varying stellar wind. We estimate that the radio flux arises from a very compact region around the central star (∼10 cm) with an electron density of . IRAS 22568+6141 and IRAS 2525 have decreased their radio flux densities by about 10 per cent per year over 4 yr. While a linear increase in the flux density with time points to the progression of the ionization front in the envelope, decreases as well as quasi-periodic patterns may indicate the presence of unstable stellar winds/jets or thick dusty envelopes absorbing ionizing photons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radio emission from the youngest known Planetary Nebula, SAO 244567, has been mapped at 1384, 2368, 4800, 8640, 16832 and 18752 MHz by using the Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). These observations constitute the first detailed radio study of this very interesting object, as they allow us to obtain the overall radio morphology of the source and to compute, for the first time, the radio spectrum up to the millimetre range. The radio emission is consistent with free–free from a wind-like shell, which is also the region where most of the [O iii] emission comes from as revealed by Hubble Space Telescope ( HST) images. However, two other possible models, a uniform sphere and a uniform thin shell, can also reproduce the radio-observed quantities. Physical parameters of the radio nebula and of the central star were derived, for all the three proposed scenarios, all consistent with SAO 244567 being a very young Planetary Nebula still embedded in the dusty remnant of the asymptotic giant branch phase. The optically thin radio flux density appears to decrease when compared to data from the literature. The apparent variability of the radio emission, probably related to the evolution of the central object, needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast rotating star CU Virginis is a magnetic chemically peculiar star with an oblique dipolar magnetic field. The continuum radio emission has been interpreted as gyrosynchrotron emission arising from a thin magnetospheric layer. Previous radio observations at 1.4 GHz showed that a 100 per cent circular polarized and highly directive emission component overlaps to the continuum emission two times per rotation, when the magnetic axis lies in the plane of the sky. This sort of radio lighthouse has been proposed to be due to cyclotron maser emission generated above the magnetic pole and propagating perpendicularly to the magnetic axis. Observations carried out with the Australia Telescope Compact Array at 1.4 and 2.5 GHz one year after this discovery show that this radio emission is still present, meaning that the phenomenon responsible for this process is steady on a time-scale of years. The emitted radiation spans at least 1 GHz, being observed from 1.4 to 2.5 GHz. On the light of recent results on the physics of the magnetosphere of this star, the possibility of plasma radiation is ruled out. The characteristics of this radio lighthouse provide us a good marker of the rotation period, since the peaks are visible at particular rotational phases. After one year, they show a delay of about 15 min. This is interpreted as a new abrupt spinning down of the star. Among several possibilities, a quick emptying of the equatorial magnetic belt after reaching the maximum density can account for the magnitude of the breaking. The study of the coherent emission in stars like CU Vir, as well as in pre-main-sequence stars, can give important insight into the angular momentum evolution in young stars. This is a promising field of investigation that high-sensitivity radio interferometers such as Square Kilometre Array can exploit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present observations of a region of the Galactic plane taken during the Early Science Program of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). In this context, we observed the scorpio field at 912 MHz with an uncompleted array consisting of 15 commissioned antennas. The resulting map covers a square region of ∼40 deg2, centred on (l, b)  = (343.5°, 0.75°), with a synthesized beam of 24 × 21 arcsec2 and a background rms noise of 150–200  μ Jy beam−1, increasing to 500–600  μ Jy beam−1 close to the Galactic plane. A total of 3963 radio sources were detected and characterized in the field using the caesar source finder. We obtained differential source counts in agreement with previously published data after correction for source extraction and characterization uncertainties, estimated from simulated data. The ASKAP positional and flux density scale accuracy were also investigated through comparison with previous surveys (MGPS, NVSS) and additional observations of the scorpio field, carried out with ATCA at 2.1 GHz and 10 arcsec spatial resolution. These allowed us to obtain a measurement of the spectral index for a subset of the catalogued sources and an estimated fraction of (at least) 8 per cent of resolved sources in the reported catalogue. We cross-matched our catalogued sources with different astronomical data bases to search for possible counterparts, finding ∼150 associations to known Galactic objects. Finally, we explored a multiparametric approach for classifying previously unreported Galactic sources based on their radio-infrared colours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a catalogue of a large sample of extended radio sources in the Stellar Continuum Originating from Radio Physics In Ourgalaxy (SCORPIO) field, observed and resolved by the Australia Telescope Compact Array. SCORPIO, a pathfinder project for addressing the early operations of the Australia SKA Pathfinder, is a survey of ∼5 square degrees between 1.4 and 3.1 GHz, centred at l  = 343.5°, b  = 0.75°, and with an angular resolution of about 10 arcsec. It is aimed at understanding the scientific and technical challenges to be faced by future Galactic surveys. With a mean sensitivity around |$100\ \mu \mathrm{Jy\ beam}^{-1}$| and the possibility to recover angular scales at least up to 4 arcmin, we extracted 99 extended sources, 35 of them detected for the first time. Among the 64 known sources 55 had at least a tentative classification in literature. Studying the radio morphology and comparing the radio emission with infrared we propose as candidates six new H  ii regions, two new planetary nebulae, two new luminous blue variable or Wolf–Rayet stars, and three new supernova remnants. This study provides an overview of the potentiality of future radio surveys in terms of Galactic source extraction and characterization and a discussion on the difficulty to reduce and analyse interferometric data on the Galactic plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array multifrequency measurements of a set of stars in transition from the post-AGB to the planetary nebula phase monitored in the radio range over several years. Clear variability is found for five sources. Their light curves show increasing and decreasing patterns. New radio observations at high angular resolution are also presented for two sources. Among these is IRAS 18062 + 2410, whose radio structure is compared to near-infrared images available in the literature. With these new maps, we can estimate inner and outer radii of 0.03 and 0.08 arcsec for the ionized shell, an ionized mass of 3.2 × 10-4 M⊙ and a density at the inner radius of 7.7 × 105 cm-3, obtained by modelling the radio shell with the new morphological constraints. The combination of multifrequency data and, where available, spectral-index maps leads to the detection of spectral indices not due to thermal emission, contrary to what one would expect in planetary nebulae. Our results allow us to hypothesize the existence of a link between radio variability and non-thermal emission mechanisms in the nebulae. This link seems to hold for IRAS 22568 + 6141 and may generally hold for those nebulae where the radio flux decreases over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KQ Vel is a binary system composed of a slowly rotating magnetic Ap star with a companion of unknown nature. In this paper, we report the detection of its radio emission. We conducted a multifrequency radio campaign using the ATCA interferometer (band-names: 16 cm, 4 cm, and 15 mm). The target was detected in all bands. The most obvious explanation for the radio emission is that it originates in the magnetosphere of the Ap star, but this is shown unfeasible. The known stellar parameters of the Ap star enable us to exploit the scaling relationship for non-thermal gyro-synchrotron emission from early-type magnetic stars. This is a general relation demonstrating how radio emission from stars with centrifugal magnetospheres is supported by rotation. Using KQ Vel's parameters the predicted radio luminosity is more than five orders of magnitudes lower than the measured one. The extremely long rotation period rules out the Ap star as the source of the observed radio emission. Other possible explanations for the radio emission from KQ Vel, involving its unknown companion, have been explored. A scenario that matches the observed features (i.e. radio luminosity and spectrum, correlation to X-rays) is a hierarchical stellar system, where the possible companion of the magnetic star is a close binary (possibly of RS CVn type) with at least one magnetically active late-type star. To be compatible with the total mass of the system, the last scenario places strong constraints on the orbital inclination of the KQ Vel stellar system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low- and intermediate-mass stars end their life dispersing their outer layers into the circumstellar medium, during the asymptotic and post-asymptotic giant branch phases. OH masers at 18 cm offer an effective way to probe their circumstellar environment. In this work, we present the discovery of seven OH maser sources likely associated with such evolved stars from the visual inspection of Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) continuum images. These seven sources do not emit real continuum emission, but the high sensitivity of our images allows us to detect their maser emission, resembling continuum sources. To confirm their nature, we carried out spectral-line observations with ATCA. All the sources showed the double-peaked spectra at 1612 MHz, typical of evolved stars. The detection of maser emission in continuum images can be a complementary and easy-to-use method to discover new maser sources with the large-area deep surveys conducted with the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) precursors. The implication for radio stars studies are remarkable since pure OH maser sources (i.e. with no continuum associated) represent, at a sensitivity of |$100\,\mu \mathrm{Jy\,beam}^{-1}$|⁠ , about 4 per cent of all Galactic sources and by far the most numerous stellar population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT New data from the Herschel Infrared Galactic Plane Survey (Hi-GAL) and the Expanded Very Large Array, together with ancillary multifrequency data from different archives, have provided a comprehensive picture of the circumstellar envelope (CSE) surrounding the Galactic luminous blue variable (LBV) candidate Gal 026.47+0.02. The high angular resolution of both the 70-μm and 6-cm maps has allowed us to appreciate finest details of the nebula, whose morphology is consistent with a series of nested tori. The inner torus, which is close to the central object, is fully ionized, indicating events of aspherical mass loss. We have derived the physical properties of the CSE, including, in particular, one of the highest current-day mass losses from the central object and a very massive nebula, which consists of, at least, 17 M⊙ of ionized gas, with 1.2-3.2 × 10−2 M⊙ in the form of dust. Altogether, the physical properties of Gal 026.47+0.02, including a very high stellar luminosity, point towards a very massive progenitor on the main sequence. According to the current models for Type IIn supernovae, the CSEs associated with possible progenitors have well constrained properties in both content and morphology. The derived physical characteristics of the nebula associated with Gal 026.47+0.02 actually satisfy all such requirements, providing some observational evidence of a direct link between a LBV and a possible Type IIn supernova. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The nebulae associated with four luminous blue variables (LBVs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) have been observed at 5.5 and 9 GHz using the Australia Telescope Compact Array, and radio emission has been detected for first time in sources R127, R143, S61 and S119. The radio maps of the nebulae have an angular resolution of ∼1.5 arcsec and a sensitivity of 1.5-3.0 × 10−2 mJy beam−1 and show a very similar morphology to that observed in Hα. This similarity permits us to assume that the Hα emission is not affected by strong intrinsic extinction due to dust within the nebulae. We estimate the masses of ionized gas in the LBV nebulae and find values consistent with those measured in Galactic LBVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have selected a small sample of post-AGB (Asymptotic Giant Branch) stars in transition towards the planetary nebula and present new Very Large Array multi-frequency high-angular resolution radio observations of them. The multi-frequency data are used to create and model the targets' radio continuum spectra, proving that these stars started their evolution as very young planetary nebulae. In the optically thin range, the slopes are compatible with the expected spectral index (−0.1). Two targets (IRAS 18062+2410 and 17423−1755) seem to be optically thick even at high frequency, as observed in a handful of other post-AGB stars in the literature, while a third one (IRAS 20462+3416) shows a possible contribution from cold dust. In IRAS 18062+2410, where we have three observations spanning a period of four years, we detect an increase in its flux density, similar to that observed in CRL 618. High-angular resolution imaging shows bipolar structures that may be due to circumstellar tori, although a different hypothesis (i.e. jets) could also explain the observations. Further observations and monitoring of these sources will enable us to test the current evolutionary models of planetary nebulae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The luminous blue variable (LBV) RMC 143 is located in the outskirts of the 30 Doradus complex, a region rich with interstellar material and hot luminous stars. We report the 3σ sub-millimetre detection of its circumstellar nebula with ALMA. The observed morphology in the sub-millimetre is different than previously observed with HST and ATCA in the optical and centimetre wavelength regimes. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of RMC 143 suggests that two emission mechanisms contribute to the sub-mm emission: optically thin bremsstrahlung and dust. Both the extinction map and the SED are consistent with a dusty massive nebula with a dust mass of 0.055 ± 0.018 M⊙ (assuming κ850 = 1.7 cm2 g−1). To date, RMC 143 has the most dusty LBV nebula observed in the Magellanic Clouds. We have also re-examined the LBV classification of RMC 143 based on VLT/X-shooter spectra obtained in 2015/16 and a review of the publication record. The radiative transfer code CMFGEN is used to derive its fundamental stellar parameters. We find an effective temperature of ∼8500 K, luminosity of log(L/L⊙) = 5.32, and a relatively high mass-loss rate of 1.0 × 10−5 M⊙ yr−1. The luminosity is much lower than previously thought, which implies that the current stellar mass of ∼8 M⊙ is comparable to its nebular mass of ∼5.5 M⊙ (from an assumed gas-to-dust ratio of 100), suggesting that the star has lost a large fraction of its initial mass in past LBV eruptions or binary interactions. While the star may have been hotter in the past, it is currently not hot enough to ionize its circumstellar nebula. We propose that the nebula is ionized externally by the hot stars in the 30 Doradus star-forming region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Among the intermediate-mass magnetic chemically peculiar (MCP) stars, CU Vir is one of the most intriguing objects. Its 100% circularly polarized beams of radio emission sweep the Earth as the star rotates, thereby making this strongly magnetic star the prototype of a class of nondegenerate stellar radio pulsars. While CU Vir is well studied in radio, its high-energy properties are not known. Yet, X-ray emission is expected from stellar magnetospheres and confined stellar winds. Aims. Using X-ray data we aim to test CU Vir for intrinsic X-ray emission and investigate mechanisms responsible for its generation. Methods. We present X-ray observations performed with XMM-Newton and Chandra and study obtained X-ray images, light curves, and spectra. Basic X-ray properties are derived from spectral modelling and are compared with model predictions. In this context we investigate potential thermal and nonthermal X-ray emission scenarios. Results. We detect an X-ray source at the position of CU Vir. With LX ≍ 3×1028 erg s−1 it is moderately X-ray bright, but the spectrum is extremely hard compared to other Ap stars. Spectral modelling requires multi-component models with predominant hot plasma at temperatures of about TX = 25 MK or, alternatively, a nonthermal spectral component. Both types of model provide a virtually equivalent description of the X-ray spectra. The Chandra observation was performed six years later than those by XMM-Newton, yet the source has similar X-ray flux and spectrum, suggesting a steady and persistent X-ray emission. This is further confirmed by the X-ray light curves that show only mild X-ray variability. Conclusions. CU Vir is also an exceptional star at X-ray energies. To explain its full X-ray properties, a generating mechanism beyond standard explanations, like the presence of a low-mass companion or magnetically confined wind-shocks, is required. Magnetospheric activity might be present or, as proposed for fast-rotating strongly magnetic Bp stars, the X-ray emission of CU Vir is predominantly auroral in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the first extended catalogue of far-infrared fluxes of Galactic bubbles. Fluxes were estimated for 1814 bubbles, defined here as the 'golden sample', and were selected from the Milky Way Project First Data Release (Simpson et al.) The golden sample was comprised of bubbles identified within the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) dataset (using 12- and 22-µm images) and Herschel data (using 70-, 160-, 250-, 350- and 500-µm wavelength images). Flux estimation was achieved initially via classical aperture photometry and then by an alternative image analysis algorithm that used active contours. The accuracy of the two methods was tested by comparing the estimated fluxes for a sample of bubbles, made up of 126 HII regions and 43 planetary nebulae, which were identified by Anderson et al. The results of this paper demonstrate that a good agreement between the two was found. This is by far the largest and most homogeneous catalogue of infrared fluxes measured for Galactic bubbles and it is a step towards the fully automated analysis of astronomical datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automated source extraction and parametrization represents a crucial challenge for the nextgeneration radio interferometer surveys, such as those performed with the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and its precursors. In this paper, we present a new algorithm, called CAESAR (Compact And Extended Source Automated Recognition), to detect and parametrize extended sources in radio interferometric maps. It is based on a pre-filtering stage, allowing image denoising, compact source suppression and enhancement of diffuse emission, followed by an adaptive superpixel clustering stage for final source segmentation. Aparametrization stage provides source flux information and a wide range of morphology estimators for post-processing analysis. We developed CAESAR in a modular software library, also including different methods for local background estimation and image filtering, along with alternative algorithms for both compact and diffuse source extraction. The method was applied to real radio continuum data collected at the Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) within the SCORPIO project, a pathfinder of the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) survey at the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). The source reconstruction capabilities were studied over different test fields in the presence of compact sources, imaging artefacts and diffuse emission from the Galactic plane and compared with existing algorithms. When compared to a human-driven analysis, the designed algorithm was found capable of detecting known target sources and regions of diffuse emission, outperforming alternative approaches over the considered fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The source MWC 930 is a star just ~2° above the Galactic plane whose nature is not clear and has not been studied in detail so far. While a post-asymptotic giant branch classification was proposed in the past, studies of its optical spectrum and photometry pointed toward strong variability, therefore, the object was reclassified as a luminous blue variable (LBV) candidate. Aims. The LBVs typically undergo phases of strong mass loss in the form of eruptions that can create shells of ejecta around the star. Our goal is to search for the presence of such a circumstellar nebula in MWC 930 and investigate its properties. Methods. To do so, we make use of space-based infrared data from our Spitzer campaign performed with the InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC) and the InfraRed Spectrograph (IRS), as well as data from optical and infrared (IR) surveys. Results. In our Spitzer images, we clearly detect an extended shell around MWC 930 at wavelengths longer than 5 μm. The midinfrared spectrum is dominated by the central star and mostly shows forbidden lines of [FeII] with an underlying continuum that decreases with wavelengths up to ~15 μm and then inverts its slope, displaying a second peak around 60 μm, which is evidence of cold dust grains formed in a past eruption. By modeling the spectral energy distribution, we identify two central components, beside the star and the outer shell. These extra sources of radiation are interpreted as material close to the central star, which may be due to a recent ejection. Features of C-bearing molecules or grains are not detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The Simultaneous Medicina- Planck Experiment (SiMPlE) is aimed at observing a selected sample of 263 extragalactic and Galactic sources with the Medicina 32-m single-dish radio telescope in the same epoch as the Planck satellite observations. The data, acquired with a frequency coverage down to 5 GHz and combined with Planck at frequencies above 30 GHz, will constitute a useful reference catalogue of bright sources over the whole Northern hemisphere. Furthermore, source observations performed in different epochs and comparisons with other catalogues will allow the investigation of source variabilities on different time-scales. In this work, we describe the sample selection, the ongoing data acquisition campaign, the data reduction procedures, the developed tools and the comparison with other data sets. We present 5 and 8.3 GHz data for the SiMPlE Northern sample, consisting of 79 sources with δ≥ 45° selected from our catalogue and observed during the first 6 months of the project. A first analysis of their spectral behaviour and long-term variability is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]