An upper limit on anomalous dust emission at 31 GHz in the diffuse cloud [LPH96]201.663+1.643

Abstract

[LPH96]201.663+1.643, a diffuse H{\sc ii} region, has been reported to be a candidate for emission from rapidly spinning dust grains. Here we present Cosmic Background Imager (CBI) observations at 26-36 GHz that show no evidence for significant anomalous emission. The spectral index within the CBI band, and between CBI and Effelsberg data at 1.4/2.7 GHz, is consistent with optically thin free-free emission. The best-fitting temperature spectral index from 2.7 to 31 GHz, $β=-2.06 \pm 0.03$, is close to the theoretical value, $β=-2.12$ for $T_{e}=9100$ K. We place an upper limit of 24% ~ (2σ) for excess emission at 31 GHz as seen in a $6\arcmin$ FWHM beam. Current spinning dust models are not a good fit to the spectrum of LPH96. No polarized emission is detected in the CBI data with an upper limit of 2% on the polarization fraction.

5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to ApJL