Searching for an interstellar medium association for HESS J1534-571

The Galactic supernova remnant HESS J1534 -571 (also known as G323.7 -1.0) has a shell-like morphology in TeV gamma-ray emission and is a key object in the study of cosmic ray origin. Little is known about its distance and local environment. We examine Mopra (CO)-C-12/(CO)-C-13(1-0) data, Australian Telescope Compact Array HI, and Parkes HI data towards HESS J1534 -571. We trace molecular clouds in at least five velocity ranges, including clumpy interstellar medium structures near a dip in HI emission at a kinematic velocity consistent with the Scutum-Crux arm at similar to 3.5 kpc. This feature may be a cavity blown-out by the progenitor star, a scenario that suggests HESS J1534 -571 resulted from a core-collapse event. By employing parametrizations fitted to a sample of supernova remnants of known distance, we find that the radio continuum brightness of HESS J1534 -571 is consistent with the similar to 3.5 kpc kinematic distance of the Scutum-Crux arm HI dip. Modelling of the supernova evolution suggests a similar to 8-24 kyr age for HESS J1534 -571 at this distance.