Millimeter observations of the candidate soft gamma-ray repeater SGR 1814-13 Original Research Article

A possible new soft Gamma-Ray Repeater, SGR 1814-13, was first detected on 1997 June 29, with a subsequent possible detection on 1997 September 12. We observed this region on 1997 October 28 and 29, with the MOPRA millimeter radio telescope, in the transition CO(1-0) at 115 GHz, and found a molecular cloud in the direction of this source. Assuming that this cloud is associated with SGR 1814-13, we have derived, from the Galactic rotation curve, kinematic distances of 1.3 kpc and 15 kpc to the source. From the CO (1-0) spectrum, we estimate a hydrogen column density of N(H2) = 5 × 1021 cm−2, and a visual absorption of Av = 5.7 mag. We present arguments for the source to be located at 15 kpc.