Loop I (the North Polar Spur) - A major feature of the local interstellar environment

Abstract

This review concerns itself with Loop I (the North Polar Spur), an angular immense feature of the high latitude galactic continuum radio emission. Observations of relevance are presented ranging in wavelength from the radio region to gamma rays. The many theories for the origin of the feature are considered. Special attention is paid to the hypothesis that the object is a supernova remnant, at its closest less than 100pc from the sun. The possibility that Loop I may have a major influence on our local interstellar medium is mentioned.