Discovery of an old supernova remnant candidate through carbon monoxide line emission

Abstract

Most old supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Milky Way have not yet been identified. Considering their large potential number and the sufficient momentum-energy transfer to the interstellar medium (ISM), they are a key part of our understanding of the overall role of SNRs in the ISM. Here we report our discovery of an expanding molecular shell identified by CO line observations, namely G16.11-0.51. It covers a known SNR, specifically G16.0-0.5, and is larger in size, i.e. 0.56 deg over 0.20 deg. Based on its spatial and kinematic structures, weak nonthermal radio-continuum emission, and derived physical properties, we suggest that it is an old SNR. At a systemic velocity of +41.3 km s^-1, the best estimated kinematic distance of G16.11-0.51 is ~3.2 kpc, implying its radius of about 15.6 pc. The age of G16.11-0.51 is estimated to be greater than ~10^5 yr, and, in a dense molecular environment, it has formed dense and thin shell layers. The kinetic energy of the expanding molecular gas of G16.11-0.51 is about 6.4x10^49 erg, accounting for approximately six percent of the initial SN explosion energy. Although old SNRs have essentially become cold and hard to detect, our discovery suggests that they can be found by searching for CO line emissions.