Chandra Observations of Shock Kinematics in Supernova Remnant 1987A
Astrophysics
2010-03-19 v1
Abstract
We report the first results from deep X-ray observations of the SNR 1987A with the Chandra LETG. Temperatures inferred from line ratios range from 0.1 - 2 keV and increase with ionization potential. Expansion velocities inferred from X-ray line profiles range from 300 - 1700 km/s, much less than the velocities inferred from the radial expansion of the radio and X-ray images. We can account for these observations with a scenario in which the X-rays are emitted by shocks produced where the supernova blast wave strikes dense protrusions of the inner circumstellar ring, which are also responsible for the optical hot spots.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0506443,
title = {Chandra Observations of Shock Kinematics in Supernova Remnant 1987A},
author = {S. A. Zhekov and R. McCray and K. J. Borkowski and D. N. Burrows and S. Park},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0506443},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
12 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJL