ASKAP Data Products for Project AS302 (Delineate the Fermi bubbles with ASKAP: a pilot study): catalogues

The Fermi bubbles are two giant lobes of gamma-ray emission extending from the Galactic Center, whose nature remains unclear. Both observations and simulations suggest that the edge of the Fermi bubbles is a forward shock, where electrons can be accelerated to produce synchrotron emission at radio bands. Radio observations have detected spurs and bipolar bubbles inside the Fermi bubbles, which could be connected to the Fermi bubbles. However, no radio emission coincident with the edge of the Fermi bubbles has been detected so far. We propose to observe the Fermi bubble edges, aiming to detect the synchrotron emission from the forward shock. We request an ASKAP observation with POSSUM-mode for 10 hours to image the targeted area for a pilot study. The detection would constrain the age and the energy of the Fermi bubbles, and therefore help reveal its nature.