Radio-continuum detections of Galactic Planetary Nebulae - I. MASH PNe detected in large-scale radio surveys

Abstract

We present an updated and newly compiled radio-continuum data base for Macquarie/AAO/Strasbourg Hα (MASH) planetary nebulae (PNe) detected in the extant large-scale 'blind' radio-continuum surveys [NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS), Sydney University Molonglo Sky Survey/Molonglo Galactic Plane Surveys (SUMSS/MGPS-2) and Parkes-MIT-NRAO (PMN)] and, for a small number of MASH PNe, observed and detected in targeted radio-continuum observations. We found radio counterparts for approximately 250 MASH PNe. In comparison with the percentage of previously known Galactic PNe detected in the NVSS and MGPS-2 radio-continuum surveys and according to their position on the flux density angular diameter and the radio brightness temperature evolutionary diagrams we conclude, unsurprisingly, that the MASH sample presents the radio-faint end of the known Galactic PNe population. Also, we present radio-continuum spectral properties of a small sub-sample of MASH PNe located in the strip between declinations -30° and -40°, that are detected in both the NVSS and MGPS-2 radio surveys. © 2011 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2011 RAS.