THE SPUR-LIKE RADIO FEATURE IN CENTAURUS

We present a study of the radio emission of the Centaurus region at ga lactic latitudes 2 degrees less than or equal to b less than or equal to 18 degrees, using preexisting 408 MHz continuum data and results of new 1.42 GHz continuum and neutral hydrogen line observations. It is shown that the extensive spur-like radio feature visible in this regio n has a non-thermal nature and is actually formed by several previousl y unidentified individual sources. Five new supernova remnant (SNR) ca ndidates have been detected at relatively high latitudes. Three of the m, as well as two former candidates reported by Duncan et al. (1995), were confirmed through the computation of their spectral indices. One of the new SNRs, G315.4+12.9, might be associated with the open cluste r NGC 5460.