The Magellan/IMACS catalog of optical supernova remnant candidates in M83

Abstract

We present a new optical imaging survey of supernova remnants (SNRs) in M83, using data obtained with the Magellan I 6.5m telescope and IMACS instrument under conditions of excellent seeing. Using the criterion of strong [S II] emission relative to Hα, we confirm all but three of the 71 SNR candidates listed in our previous survey, and expand the SNR candidate list to 225 objects, more than tripling the earlier sample. Comparing the optical survey with a new deep X-ray survey of M83 with Chandra, we find that 61 of these SNR candidates have X-ray counterparts. We also identify an additional list of 46 [O III]-selected nebulae for follow-up as potential ejecta-dominated remnants, seven of which have associated X-ray emission that makes them strong candidates. Some of the other [O III]-bright objects could also be normal interstellar medium (ISM) dominated SNRs with shocks fast enough to doubly ionize oxygen, but with Hα and [S II] emission faint enough to have been missed. A few of these objects may also be H II regions with abnormally high [O III] emission compared with the majority of M83 H II regions, compact nebulae excited by young Wolf-Rayet stars, or even background active galactic nuclei. The SNR Hα luminosity function in M83 is shifted by a factor of 4.5 times higher than for M33 SNRs, indicative of a higher mean ISM density in M83. We describe the search technique used to identify the SNR candidates and provide basic information and finder charts for the objects. © 2012. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..