MeerKAT reveals a ghostly thermal radio ring towards the Galactic Centre Article Swipe

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Physics Astrophysics Astronomy Ring (chemistry) Thermal Meteorology Chemistry Organic chemistry

Cristóbal Bordiú , M. D. Filipović , G. Umana , W. D. Cotton , C. S. Buemi , F. Bufano , F. Camilo , F. Cavallaro , L. Cerrigone , S. Dai , Andrew Hopkins , A. Ingallinera , T. H. Jarrett , B. Koribalski , Sanja Lazarević , P. Leto , S. Loru , Peter Lundqvist , Jonathan Mackey , R. P. Norris , J. M. Payne , G. Rowell , S. Riggi , J. R. Rizzo , A. C. Ruggeri , Stanislav S. Shabala , Zachary J. Smeaton , C. Trigilio , Velibor Velović ·

YOU? · · 2024 · Open Access · · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202450766 · OA: W4401245666

We present the serendipitous discovery of a new radio-continuum ring-like object nicknamed Kýklos (J1802–3353), with MeerKAT UHF and L -band observations. The radio ring, which resembles the recently discovered odd radio circles (ORCs), has a diameter of ∼80″ and is located just ∼6° from the Galactic plane. However, Kýklos exhibits an atypical thermal radio-continuum spectrum ( α = −0.1 ± 0.3), which led us to explore different possible formation scenarios. We concluded that a circumstellar shell around an evolved massive star, possibly a Wolf-Rayet, is the most convincing explanation with the present data.