Mapping the Dense Molecular Gas toward 13 Supernova Remnants

Abstract Supernova remnants (SNRs) can exert strong influence on molecular clouds (MCs) through interaction by shock wave and cosmic rays. In this paper, we present our mapping observation of HCO + and <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi>HCN</mml:mi> </mml:math> 1–0 lines toward 13 SNRs interacting with MCs, together with archival data of CO isotopes. Strong HCO + emission is found in the fields of view of SNRs W30, G9.7−0.0, Kes 69, 3C 391, 3C 396, W51C, HC 40, and CTB109 in the local-standard-of-rest velocity intervals in which they are suggested to show evidence of SNR–MC interaction. We find an incomplete 12 CO shell surrounding G9.7−0.0 with an expanding motion. This shell may be driven by the stellar wind of the SNR progenitor. We also find an arc of 12 CO gas spatially coincident with the northwestern radio shell of Kes 69. As for the HCO + line emission, SNRs 3C 391 and W51C exhibit significant line profile broadening indicative of shock perturbation, and CTB109 exhibits a possible blueshifted line wing brought by shock interaction. We do not find significant variation of the <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi>I</mml:mi> <mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>HCO</mml:mi> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> </mml:msup> <mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo> <mml:mo stretchy="true">/</mml:mo> <mml:mi>I</mml:mi> <mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo> <mml:mi>HCN</mml:mi> <mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo> </mml:math> line ratio between broad-line and narrow-line regions, among different SNRs, and between MCs associated with SNRs and typical Galactic MCs. Therefore, we caution on using the <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi>I</mml:mi> <mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>HCO</mml:mi> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> </mml:msup> <mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo> <mml:mo stretchy="true">/</mml:mo> <mml:mi>I</mml:mi> <mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo> <mml:mi>HCN</mml:mi> <mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo> </mml:math> line ratio as a diagnostic of SNR feedback and cosmic-ray (CR) ionization. We also estimate the N (HCO + )/ N (CO) abundance ratio in 11 regions toward the observed SNRs, but they show little difference from the typical values in quiescent MCs, possibly because N (HCO + )/ N (CO) is not an effective tracer of CR ionization.