On the Determination of the Evolutionary Status of Supernova Remnants from Radio Observation Data

Abstract

This paper aims to give a brief review of a new concept for the preliminary determination of the evolutionary status of supernova remnants (SNRs). Data obtained by radio observations in continuum are used. There are three different methods underlying the new concept: the first one based on the location of observationally obtained radio surface brightness and corresponding diameter of an SNR on the theoretically derived Sigma-D tracks; the second one based on the forms of radio spectra; and the third one, based on the magnetic field strengths that are estimated through the equipartition (eqp) calculation. Using a combination of these methods, developed over the last two decades by the Belgrade SNR Research Group, we can estimate the evolutionary status of SNRs. This concept helps radio observers to determine preliminarily the stage of the evolution of an SNR observed in radio domain. Additionally, this concept was applied for several SNRs, observed by the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), and the corresponding results are reviewed here. Moreover, some of the results are revised in this review to reflect the updated recently published Sigma-D and eqp analyses.