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Cited by 136Astrophysical Phenomena and ObservationsRadio Astronomy Observations and TechnologyAstrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena

The 1.28 GHz MeerKAT Galactic Center Mosaic

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Heywood, I., Rammala, I., Camilo, F., Cotton, W. D., Yusef-Zadeh, F., Abbott, T. D., Adam, R. M., Adams, G. +103 more·2022·The Astrophysical Journal
DOI 10.3847/1538-4357/ac449a
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Abstract

The inner ∼200 pc region of the Galaxy contains a 4 million M⊙ supermassive black hole (SMBH), significant quantities of molecular gas, and star formation and cosmic-ray energy densities that are roughly two orders of magnitude higher than the corresponding levels in the Galactic disk. At a distance of only 8.2 kpc, the region presents astronomers with a unique opportunity to study a diverse range of energetic astrophysical phenomena, from stellar objects in extreme environments, to the SMBH and star-formation-driven feedback processes that are known to influence the evolution of galaxies as a whole. We present a new survey of the Galactic center conducted with the South African MeerKAT radio telescope. Radio imaging offers a view that is unaffected by the large quantities of dust that obscure the region at other wavelengths, and a scene of striking complexity is revealed. We produce total-intensity and spectral-index mosaics of the region from 20 pointings (144 hr on-target in total), covering 6.5 square degrees with an angular resolution of 4″ at a central frequency of 1.28 GHz. Many new features are revealed for the first time due to a combination of MeerKAT’s high sensitivity, exceptional u, v-plane coverage, and geographical vantage point. We highlight some initial survey results, including new supernova remnant candidates, many new nonthermal filament complexes, and enhanced views of the Radio Arc bubble, Sagittarius A, and Sagittarius B regions. This project is a South African Radio Astronomy Observatory public legacy survey, and the image products are made available with this article.

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Jonas, J. & MeerKAT Team 2016, in Proc. of MeerKAT Science: On the Pathway to the SKA (Trieste: PoS), 1
  2. McMullin, J. P., Waters, B., Schiebel, D., Young, W., & Golap, K. 2007, in Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems XVI, ASP Conf. Ser. 376 (San Francisco, CA: ASP), 127
  3. Yusef-Zadeh, F., Arendt, R. G., Wardle, M., et al. 2022, ApJL, in press

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Authors
Heywood, I., Rammala, I., Camilo, F., Cotton, W. D., Yusef-Zadeh, F., Abbott, T. D., Adam, R. M., Adams, G., Aldera, M. A., Asad, K. M. B., Bauermeister, E. F., Bennett, T. G. H., Bester, H. L., Bode, W. A., Botha, D. H., Botha, A. G., Brederode, L. R. S., Buchner, S., Burger, J. P., Cheetham, T., de Villiers, D. I. L., Dikgale-Mahlakoana, M. A., du Toit, L. J., Esterhuyse, S. W. P., Fanaroff, B. L., February, S., Fourie, D. J., Frank, B. S., Gamatham, R. R. G., Geyer, M., Goedhart, S., Gouws, M., Gumede, S. C., Hlakola, M. J., Hokwana, A., Hoosen, S. W., Horrell, J. M. G., Hugo, B., Isaacson, A. I., Józsa, G. I. G., Jonas, J. L., Joubert, A. F., Julie, R. P. M., Kapp, F. B., Kenyon, J. S., Kotzé, P. P. A., Kriek, N., Kriel, H., Krishnan, V. K., Lehmensiek, R., Liebenberg, D., Lord, R. T., Lunsky, B. M., Madisa, K., Magnus, L. G., Mahgoub, O., Makhaba, A., Makhathini, S., Malan, J. A., Manley, J. R., Marais, S. J., Martens, A., Mauch, T., Merry, B. C., Millenaar, R. P., Mnyandu, N., Mokone, O. J., Monama, T. E., Mphego, M. C., New, W. S., Ngcebetsha, B., Ngoasheng, K. J., Ockards, M. T., Oozeer, N., Otto, A. J., Passmoor, S. S., Patel, A. A., Peens-Hough, A., Perkins, S. J., Ramaila, A. J. T., Ramanujam, N. M. R., Ramudzuli, Z. R., Ratcliffe, S. M., Robyntjies, A., Salie, S., Sambu, N., Schollar, C. T. G., Schwardt, L. C., Schwartz, R. L., Serylak, M., Siebrits, R., Sirothia, S. K., Slabber, M., Smirnov, O. M., Sofeya, L., Taljaard, B., Tasse, C., Tiplady, A. J., Toruvanda, O., Twum, S. N., van Balla, T. J., van der Byl, A., van der Merwe, C., Van Tonder, V., Van Wyk, R., Venter, A. J., Venter, M., Wallace, B. H., Welz, M. G., Williams, L. P., & Xaia, B.
Affiliations
  • Rhodes University (ZA)
  • South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (ZA)
  • National Radio Astronomy Observatory (US)
  • Northwestern University (US)
  • Independent University, Bangladesh (BD)
  • SKA Observatory (GB)
  • University of Cape Town (ZA)
  • Stellenbosch University (ZA)
  • University of the Witwatersrand (ZA)
  • Government of South Africa (ZA)
  • Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IN)
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
Corresponding author
  • Heywood, I.
  • Kriek, N.
  • Mnyandu, N.
  • Oozeer, N.
  • Ramanujam, N. M. R.
  • Sambu, N.
  • Twum, S. N.
ORCID
Venue
The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Published
2022-02-01
Volume
925
Issue
2
Pages
165
ISSN
  • 0004-637X (ISSN-L)
  • 1538-4357
DOI
10.3847/1538-4357/ac449a
OpenAlex
W4213240123
Cited by
136
References
144
Citations by year
2026: 23 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 19
FWCI
11.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • The Astrophysical Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (0807400, NCC5-626, 1440620)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (AST-0807400, NCC5626)
  • California Institute of Technology
  • National Radio Astronomy Observatory
  • Associated Universities
  • National Research Foundation
  • University of Pretoria
  • Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
  • University of the Western Cape
  • Cape Peninsula University of Technology
  • University of Cape Town
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • University of California, Los Angeles
  • Center for High Performance Computing
  • Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/W000903/1, ST/N000919/1)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
Keywords
Galactic Center, MeerKAT, supermassive black holes, Sgr A*, radio arcs, supernova remnant candidates, nonthermal filaments, stellar feedback, molecular gas, cosmic ray energy density, legacy survey

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