2004A&A...426..909U

We present a new sensitive 2675MHz radio continuum map of the Cygnus Loop, which is used in conjunction with 408MHz, 863MHz and 1420MHz maps from both the Effelsberg 100-m telescope and the DRAO Synthesis Telescope for a spectral analysis. Between 408MHz and 2675MHz we find an overall integrated spectral index of α=-0.42±0.06 (S~ν^α), close to previous results. There is no indication of a spectral break in the integrated spectrum. Spatially highly varying and rather strong spectral curvature was previously reported, but is not confirmed on the basis of new, higher sensitivity observations. We found spectral variations across the Cygnus Loop reaching up to Δα=0.2 from a TT-plot analysis. The flattest spectra are seen towards enhanced emission areas. Spectral index maps produced between different frequency pairs, as well as all four maps, revealed that there are at least three flat spectrum regions. In regions interior to the high emission filaments, we have detected at least two spectral components across the whole object with α=-0.4 and α=-0.6 towards northern and southern parts of the object, respectively.