The Distance to the Soft Gamma Repeater SGR 1627-41
Abstract
We report millimeter observations of the line of sight to the recently discovered Soft Gamma Repeater, SGR 1627-41, which has been tentatively associated with the supernova remnant SNR G337.0-0.1 Among the eight molecular clouds along the line of sight to SGR 1627-41, we show that SNR G337.0-0.1 is probably interacting with one of the most massive giant molecular clouds (GMC) in the Galaxy, at a distance of 11 kpc from the sun. Based on the high extinction to the persistent X-ray counterpart of SGR 1627-41, we present evidence for an association of this new SGR with the SNR G337.0-0.1; they both appear to be located on the near side of the GMC. This is the second SGR located near an extraordinarily massive GMC. We suggest that SGR 1627-41 is a neutron star with a high transverse velocity (~ 1,000 \kms) escaping the young (~ 5,000 years) supernova remnant G337.0-0.1
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/9909334,
title = {The Distance to the Soft Gamma Repeater SGR 1627-41},
author = {S. Corbel and C. Chapuis and T. M. Dame and P. Durouchoux},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/9909334},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
17 pages, including 2 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters