Shocked clouds in the Cygnus Loop

Abstract

This grant covers the analysis of ROSAT PSPC and HRI images of the Cygnus Loop, an elderly supernova remnant. The project, as proposed, includes not only the usual analysis of ROSAT data; the ROSAT data is being combined with optical and UV data, and new model calculations are being performed. The status is reported on optical imagery, echelle data, IUE data, ROSAT data, and the grain model. The major question being addressed is whether the blastwave-cloud interaction in the feature known as XA is basically a converging shock in a fairly large cloud or turbulent stripping of material from the edges of a smaller cloud.