618 research outputs found
Element Stratification in the Middle-Aged Type Ia Supernova Remnant G344.7-0.1
Despite their importance, a detailed understanding of Type Ia supernovae (SNe
Ia) remains elusive. X-ray measurements of the element distributions in
supernova remnants (SNRs) offer important clues for understanding the explosion
and nucleosynthesis mechanisms for SNe Ia. However, it is challenging to
observe the entire ejecta mass in X-rays for young SNRs, because the central
ejecta may not have been heated by the reverse shock yet. Here we present over
200 kilosecond Chandra observations of the Type Ia SNR G344.7-0.1, whose age is
old enough for the reverse shock to have reached the SNR center, providing an
opportunity to investigate the distribution of the entire ejecta mass. We
reveal a clear stratification of heavy elements with a centrally peaked
distribution of the Fe ejecta surrounded by intermediate-mass elements (IMEs:
Si, S, Ar Ca) with an arc-like structure. The centroid energy of the Fe K
emission is marginally lower in the central Fe-rich region than in the outer
IME-rich regions, suggesting that the Fe ejecta were shock-heated more
recently. These results are consistent with the prediction for standard SN Ia
models, where the heavier elements are synthesized in the interior of an
exploding white dwarf. We find, however, that the peak location of the Fe K
emission is slightly offset to the west with respect to the geometric center of
the SNR. This apparent asymmetry is likely due to the inhomogeneous density
distribution of the ambient medium, consistent with our radio observations of
the ambient molecular and neutral gas.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for publication in Astrophysical
Journa
On the spherical-axial transition in supernova remnants
A new law of motion for supernova remnant (SNR) which introduces the quantity
of swept matter in the thin layer approximation is introduced. This new law of
motion is tested on 10 years observations of SN1993J. The introduction of an
exponential gradient in the surrounding medium allows to model an aspherical
expansion. A weakly asymmetric SNR, SN1006, and a strongly asymmetric SNR,
SN1987a, are modeled. In the case of SN1987a the three observed rings are
simulated.Comment: 19 figures and 14 pages Accepted for publication in Astrophysics &
Space Science in the year 201
A simple model for electron plasma heating in supernova remnants
Context: Multiwavelength observations of supernova remnants can be explained
within the framework of diffusive shock acceleration theory, which allows
effective conversion of the explosion energy into cosmic rays. Although the
models of nonlinear shocks describe reasonably well the nonthermal component of
emission, certain issues, including the heating of the thermal electron plasma
and the related X-ray emission, still remain open.
Methods: Numerical solution of the equations of the Chevalier model for
supernova remnant evolution, coupled with Coulomb scattering heating of the
electrons.
Results: The electron temperature and the X-ray thermal Bremsstrahlung
emission from supernova remnants have been calculated as functions of the
relevant parameters. Since only the Coulomb mechanism was considered for
electron heating, the values obtained for the electron temperatures should be
treated as lower limits. Results from this work can be useful to constrain
model parameters for observed SNRs.Comment: Accepted to A&A as a research not
The imprint of a symbiotic binary progenitor on the properties of Kepler's supernova remnant
We present a model for the Type Ia supernova remnant (SNR) of SN 1604, also
known as Kepler's SNR. We find that its main features can be explained by a
progenitor model of a symbiotic binary consisting of a white dwarf and an AGB
donor star with an initial mass of 4-5 M_sun. The slow, nitrogen rich wind
emanating from the donor star has partially been accreted by the white dwarf,
but has also created a circumstellar bubble. Based on observational evidence,
we assume that the system moves with a velocity of 250 km/s. Due to the
systemic motion the interaction between the wind and the interstellar medium
has resulted in the formation of a bow shock, which can explain the presence of
a one-sided, nitrogen rich shell. We present two-dimensional hydrodynamical
simulations of both the shell formation and the SNR evolution. The SNR
simulations show good agreement with the observed kinematic and morphological
properties of Kepler's SNR. Specifically, the model reproduces the observed
expansion parameters (m=V/(R/t)) of m=0.35 in the north and m=0.6 in the south
of Kepler's SNR. We discuss the variations among our hydrodynamical simulations
in light of the observations, and show that part of the blast wave may have
traversed through the one-sided shell completely. The simulations suggest a
distance to Kepler's SNR of 6 kpc, or otherwise require that SN 1604 was a
sub-energetic Type Ia explosion. Finally, we discuss the possible implications
of our model for Type Ia supernovae and their remnants in general.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Submitted to A&
Search for broad absorption lines in spectra of stars in the field of supernova remnant RX J0852.0-4622 (Vela Jr.)
Supernova remnant (SNR) RX J0852.0-4622 is one of the youngest and is most
likely the closest among known galactic supernova remnants (SNRs). It was
detected in X-rays, the 44Ti gamma-line, and radio. We obtain and analyze
medium-resolution spectra of 14 stars in the direction towards the SNR RX
J0852.0-4622 in an attempt to detect broad absorption lines of unshocked ejecta
against background stars. Spectral synthesis is performed for all the stars in
the wavelength range of 3740-4020AA to extract the broad absorption lines of Ca
II related to the SNR RX J0852.0-4622. We do not detect any broad absorption
line and place a 3-sigma upper limit on the relative depths of <0.04 for the
broad Ca II absorption produced by the SNR. We detect narrow low and high
velocity absorption components of Ca II. High velocity |V(LSR)|=100-140 km/s
components are attributed to radiative shocks in clouds engulfed by the old
Vela SNR. The upper limit to the absorption line strength combined with the
width and flux of the 44Ti gamma-ray line 1.16 MeV lead us to conclude that SNR
RX J0852.0-4622 was probably produced by an energetic SN Ic explosion.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, accepted in A&
XMM-Newton evidence of shocked ISM in SN 1006: indications of hadronic acceleration
Shock fronts in young supernova remnants are the best candidates for being
sites of cosmic ray acceleration up to a few PeV, though conclusive
experimental evidence is still lacking. Hadron acceleration is expected to
increase the shock compression ratio, providing higher postshock densities, but
X-ray emission from shocked ambient medium has not firmly been detected yet in
remnants where particle acceleration is at work. We exploited the deep
observations of the XMM-Newton Large Program on SN 1006 to verify this
prediction. We performed spatially resolved spectral analysis of a set of
regions covering the southeastern rim of SN 1006. We studied the spatial
distribution of the thermodynamic properties of the ambient medium and
carefully verified the robustness of the result with respect to the analysis
method. We detected the contribution of the shocked ambient medium. We also
found that the postshock density of the interstellar medium significantly
increases in regions where particle acceleration is efficient. Under the
assumption of uniform preshock density, we found that the shock compression
ratio reaches a value of ~6 in regions near the nonthermal limbs. Our results
support the predictions of shock modification theory and indicate that effects
of acceleration of cosmic ray hadrons on the postshock plasma can be observed
in supernova remnants.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Optical Imaging and Spectroscopic Observation of the Galactic Supernova Remnant G85.9-0.6
Optical CCD imaging with H and [SII] filters and spectroscopic
observations of the galactic supernova remnant G85.9-0.6 have been performed
for the first time. The CCD image data are taken with the 1.5m Russian-Turkish
Telescope (RTT150) at TUBITAK National Observatory (TUG) and spectral data are
taken with the Bok 2.3 m telescope on Kitt Peak, AZ.
The images are taken with narrow-band interference filters H, [SII]
and their continuum. [SII]/H ratio image is performed. The ratio
obtained from [SII]/H is found to be 0.42, indicating that the
remnant interacts with HII regions. G85.9-0.6 shows diffuse-shell morphology.
[SII] average flux ratio is calculated from the
spectra, and the electron density is obtained to be 395 . From
[OIII]/H ratio, shock velocity has been estimated, pre-shock density of
, explosion energy of ergs,
interstellar extinction of , and neutral hydrogen column density
of are reported.Comment: 20 pages, 4 tables, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in
Astrophysics & Space Scienc
The kinematics and chemical stratification of the Type Ia supernova remnant 0519-69.0
We present an analysis of the XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray data of the young
Type Ia supernova remnant 0519-69.0 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We used data
from both the Chandra ACIS and XMM-Newton EPIC-MOS instruments, and high
resolution X-ray spectra obtained with the XMM-Newton Reflection Grating
Spectrometer. The Chandra data show that there is a radial stratification of
oxygen, intermediate mass elements and iron, with the emission from more
massive elements more toward the center. Using a deprojection technique we
measure a forward shock radius of 4.0(3) pc and a reverse shock radius of
2.7(4) pc. We took the observed stratification of the shocked ejecta into
account in the modeling of the X-ray spectra with multi-component NEI models,
with the components corresponding to layers dominated by one or two elements.
An additional component was added in order to represent the ISM, which mostly
contributed to the continuum emission. This model fits the data well, and was
also employed to characterize the spectra of distinct regions extracted from
the Chandra data. From our spectral analysis we find that the fractional masses
of shocked ejecta for the most abundant elements are: M(O)=32%, M(Si/S)=7%/5%,
M(Ar+Ca)=1%, and M(Fe) = 55%. From the continuum component we derive a
circumstellar density of nH= 2.4(2)/cm^3. This density, together with the
measurements of the forward and reverse shock radii suggest an age of 450+/-200
yr,somewhat lower than, but consistent with the estimate based on the optical
light echo (600+/-200 yr). From the RGS spectra we measured a Doppler
broadening of sigma=1873+/-50 km/s, from implying a forward shock velocity of
vS = 2770+/-500 km/s. We discuss the results in the context of single
degenerate explosion models, using semi-analytical and numerical modeling, and
compare the characteristics of 0519-69.0 with those of other Type Ia supernova
remnants.Comment: Astronomy and Astrophysics in press. This version is the A&A accepted
version, which contains improved figures and an extended discussion sectio
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