Chandra LETG observations of supernova remnant 1987A

Svetozar A. Zhekov; Richard McCray; Kazimierz J. Borkowski; David N. Burrows; Sanowook Park

doi:10.1086/504285

Chandra LETG observations of supernova remnant 1987A

Svetozar A. Zhekov, Richard McCray, Kazimierz J. Borkowski, David N. Burrows, Sanowook Park

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

We discuss the results from deep Chandra LETG observations of the supernova remnant 1987A (SNR 1987A). We find that a distribution of shocks, spanning the same range of velocities (from ∼300 to 1700 km s^-1) as deduced in the first part of our analysis, can account for the entire X-ray spectrum of this object. The postshock temperature distribution is bimodal, peaking at kT ∼ 0.5 and ∼3 keV. Abundances inferred from the X-ray spectrum have values similar to those for the inner circumstellar ring, except that the abundances of nitrogen and oxygen are approximately a factor of 2 lower than those inferred from the optical/UV spectrum. The velocity of the X-ray-emitting plasma has decreased since 1999, apparently because the blast wave has entered the main body of the inner circumstellar ring.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	293-302
Number of pages	10
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	645
Issue number	1 I
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/504285
State	Published - Jul 1 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/504285

Cite this

@article{145e6bd05e1e416e958b26113472a104,

title = "Chandra LETG observations of supernova remnant 1987A",

abstract = "We discuss the results from deep Chandra LETG observations of the supernova remnant 1987A (SNR 1987A). We find that a distribution of shocks, spanning the same range of velocities (from ∼300 to 1700 km s-1) as deduced in the first part of our analysis, can account for the entire X-ray spectrum of this object. The postshock temperature distribution is bimodal, peaking at kT ∼ 0.5 and ∼3 keV. Abundances inferred from the X-ray spectrum have values similar to those for the inner circumstellar ring, except that the abundances of nitrogen and oxygen are approximately a factor of 2 lower than those inferred from the optical/UV spectrum. The velocity of the X-ray-emitting plasma has decreased since 1999, apparently because the blast wave has entered the main body of the inner circumstellar ring.",

author = "Zhekov, {Svetozar A.} and Richard McCray and Borkowski, {Kazimierz J.} and Burrows, {David N.} and Sanowook Park",

year = "2006",

month = jul,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1086/504285",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "645",

pages = "293--302",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "1 I",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Chandra LETG observations of supernova remnant 1987A

AU - Zhekov, Svetozar A.

AU - McCray, Richard

AU - Borkowski, Kazimierz J.

AU - Burrows, David N.

AU - Park, Sanowook

PY - 2006/7/1

Y1 - 2006/7/1

N2 - We discuss the results from deep Chandra LETG observations of the supernova remnant 1987A (SNR 1987A). We find that a distribution of shocks, spanning the same range of velocities (from ∼300 to 1700 km s-1) as deduced in the first part of our analysis, can account for the entire X-ray spectrum of this object. The postshock temperature distribution is bimodal, peaking at kT ∼ 0.5 and ∼3 keV. Abundances inferred from the X-ray spectrum have values similar to those for the inner circumstellar ring, except that the abundances of nitrogen and oxygen are approximately a factor of 2 lower than those inferred from the optical/UV spectrum. The velocity of the X-ray-emitting plasma has decreased since 1999, apparently because the blast wave has entered the main body of the inner circumstellar ring.

AB - We discuss the results from deep Chandra LETG observations of the supernova remnant 1987A (SNR 1987A). We find that a distribution of shocks, spanning the same range of velocities (from ∼300 to 1700 km s-1) as deduced in the first part of our analysis, can account for the entire X-ray spectrum of this object. The postshock temperature distribution is bimodal, peaking at kT ∼ 0.5 and ∼3 keV. Abundances inferred from the X-ray spectrum have values similar to those for the inner circumstellar ring, except that the abundances of nitrogen and oxygen are approximately a factor of 2 lower than those inferred from the optical/UV spectrum. The velocity of the X-ray-emitting plasma has decreased since 1999, apparently because the blast wave has entered the main body of the inner circumstellar ring.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33746917507&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33746917507&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/504285

DO - 10.1086/504285

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33746917507

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 645

SP - 293

EP - 302

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 I

ER -

Chandra LETG observations of supernova remnant 1987A

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this