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At least 1,369 records · Page 76
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NASA NTRS1982

Einstein observations of supernova remnants

Recent observations of SNRs have produced X-ray images with resolution comparable to that routinely achieved at optical wavelengths. There has also been a great improvement in the quality of X-ray spectra. Since most of the energy radiated by SNRs appears as X-rays, these new data are crucial to studies of SNRs, the interaction of SNRs with the interstellar medium, and the SN explosion itself. Images show a variety of shapes ranging from shell-like remnants to those dominated by the influence of central objects which appear both as point sources and as centers of diffuse activity. Once the temperature and spatial distribution of X-ray emitting material is known, the mass of ejected material and the energy release of the SN explosion can sometimes be calculated. X-ray images and spectra of several remnants are shown, and some quantitative results are given.

Seward, F. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The extraordinary extragalactic supernova remnant in NGC 4449. II - X-ray and optical investigations

Einstein Observatory X-ray observations indicate that the SNR in NGC 4449 is the most luminous X-ray, as well as optical and radio, SNR known. New optical spectroscopy, together with the X-ray data, suggest this exceptional luminosity to be due to chemically enriched material at unusually high densities. A model is proposed in which this SNR resulted from the explosion of a massive star in a medium of nearly 25/cu cm density about 100 years ago. The chemistry in question further suggests that the SNR in NGC 4449 resulted from the explosion of a star whose mass was greater than 25 solar masses.

Blair, W. P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

X-ray spectra of young supernova remnants

Einstein solid-state-spectrometer (SSS) spectra are presented for the Crab Nebula, Cas A, SN 1006, the Tycho SNR, and the Kepler SNR. The history of X-ray observations of SNRs is reviewed; the SSS instrument is briefly characterized; a reduction technique which accounts for all background sources in the 0.5-4.5-keV band is applied; and the physical models of SNRs constructed to reproduce the refined spectra are discussed. The limitations of the modeling methods and the need for further observations, especially of localized regions, are indicated.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Kinematics of supernova remnants in the Galaxy and LMC

The optical emission lines of six SNRs have been observed at very high angular and kinematic resolutions. Kinematic ion temperatures were derived, and evidence was found in shocked regions for Maxwellian microturbulence on scales approximately equal to or less than 0.01 pc, and for non-Maxwellian macroturbulence on scales greater than 0.1 pc. The widths of shocked regions in the Cygnus Loop and the existence of three types of spectral feature in the LMC remnants are discussed in terms of SNR evolution in cloudly interstellar media.

Shull, P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electrons and positrons from expanding supernova envelopes in dense clouds

If antiprotons in cosmic rays are produced as secondary particles in sources, it is expected that positrons are also created by the same process. The interstellar spectra of positrons and electrons are calculated by taking into account such sources. Spectra are then compared with observations.

Stephens, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The electron spectra in the synchrotron nebula of the supernova remnant G 29.7-0.3

EXOSAT results obtained with the imaging instrument (CMA) and the medium energy proportional counters (ME) are discussed. Assuming that the featureless power-law spectrum obtained in the 2 to 10 keV range is synchrotron radiation from relativistic electrons, one derives constraints on magnetic field strength and age of the nebula. The energy spectra of the electrons responsible for the emission in the radio and X-ray ranges are discussed. The great similarity of the physical properties of G 29.7-0.3 and of three synchrotron nebulae containing a compact object observed to pulse in X-rays makes G 29.7 - 0.3 a very promising candidate for further search for pulsed emission. Further observations at infrared wavelengths might reveal the break(s) in the emitted spectrum expected from the radio and X-ray power-law indices and give us more information on the production of the electron populations responsible for the emission of the nebula.

Koch-Miramond, L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

An X-ray investigation of the unusual supernova remnant CTB 80

The X-ray properties of SNR CTB 80 (G68.8 + 2.8) are discussed based on both low- and high-resolution images from the Einstein satellite. The X-ray maps show a point source coinciding with the region of maximum radio emission. Diffuse X-ray emission is evident mainly along the radio lobe extending about 8 arcmin east of the point source and aligned with the projected magnetic field lines. The observed X-ray luminosity is 3.2 x 10 to the 34th ergs/s with 1.0 x 10 to the 3th ergs/s from the point source (assuming a distance of 3 kpc). There is also faint, diffuse, X-ray emission south of the point source, where radio emission is absent. The unusual radio and X-ray morphologies are interpreted as a result of relativistic jets energized by the central object, and the possible association of CTB 80 with SN 1408 as recorded by Chinese observers is discussed.

Wang, Z. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A detailed X-ray and radio comparison of Kepler's supernova remnant

High-resolution radio images of Kepler's SNR (SNR (SN 1604) at 6 and 21 cm have been obtained using the VLA. The orientation of linear polarization in the SNR implies a substantial nonrandom radial component for the magnetic field of the remnant. Based on a new X-ray picture of the SNR, obtained using the Einstein Observatory, a detailed comparison of the X-ray and radio morphology is carried out. There is a good correlation between rotation measure, obtained from the radio maps, and emission measure, an X-ray-derived quantity in the SNR shell. From the mean electron density value infered from an analysis of X-ray fluxes, a mean radial magnetic field of 14 micro G and a total magnetic field of 70 microG are estimated. The energy density of relativistic electrons in Kepler's SNR in the shell comparable to the energy density in the magnetic field; the relativistic electron-pressure is 2 percent of the thermal gas pressure. The strong correlation between radio emissivity and X-ray emissivity found over the SNR in somewhat large scale can be ascribed to acceleration of thermal electrons at the shock wave and insignificant diffusion of resultant relativistic electrons.

Matsui, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Self-consistent models for the X-ray emission from supernova remnants - An application to Kepler's remnant

A tool for exploring the evolution of X-ray emission from young SNRs is presented which employs a novel approach to the problem of time-dependent ionization in a shock-heated plasma. The solution of this problem is coupled to a spherically symmetric hydrodynamic calculation for the evolution of a point explosion in a uniform medium. The method is applied to Kepler's SNR, and two narrowly constrained classes of models which can simultaneously fit the spectral and morphological features of the object are found. One of these is a Sedov model in which the emission arises from shocked ambient gas, and the other is a reverse-shock model in which the SN ejecta is the dominant source of radiation. The emission from one specific model in each class is compared with the radial surface brightness profile, the 0.2-4.5 keV broadband spectrum, and the 1-3 keV moderate-resolution spectrum of the remnant. Reasonable fits are obtained in both cases.

Hughes, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

X-ray observations of supernova remnants resembling the Crab Nebula

Out of the three SNRs G291.0 - 0.1, G308.7 + 0.0, and G328.4 + 0.2, which resemble the Crab Nebula in many of their radio properties, the present Einstein Observatory search was able to detect only the first, which is noted to have very extended X-ray emission with strong central brightening. Given the large distances and hydrogen column densities of the other two SNRs, their X-ray limits are consistent with membership in the Crab Nebula-like group. The evolutions of radio luminosity, X-ray luminosity, and the ratio of the two luminosities with remnant diameter are reassessed for this SNR class. No evidence is found for a radio luminosity decrease with diameter (age).

Wilson, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The scattered light echo of a supernova

A theoretical model of the scattering of SN radiation by a dusty circumstellar envelope is constructed and applied to observational data on SN 1979c and SN 1980k. The scattered-light curves are predicted by Monte Carlo simulation, and it is shown that the blue continuum of SN 1980k could be a scattered-light echo. The need for detailed late SN observations (especially UV observations of the type planned for the Space Telescope) is indicated.

Chevalier, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A sheet description of the emission from middle-aged supernova remnants

The hypothesis that sheetlike shock fronts propagating into large clouds immersed in a fairly uniform intercloud medium can provide a consistent picture accounting for essentially all the observational data for the Cygnus Loop SNR is considered. Filaments are interpreted as line-of-sight projections of portions of the sheet. Variations in the projection of the shock velocity along the line of sight lead naturally to 'turbulent' velocities consistent with observation. An analog model of a large, distorted, bumpy shock front is presented and shown to produce the observed morphology of the remnant's prominent optical filaments. Comparison with the observed morphology supports the idea that regions of optical emission lie on the local outer boundary of the shell and have not been engulfed by the blast wave. Bright X-ray emission arises when the blast wave encounters a preshock medium with an intermediate density higher than average for the adiabatic portion of the remnant, but still lower than that required for the shock to become radiative.

Hester, J. Jeff↗
NASA NTRS1987

High-resolution radio observations of the supernova remnant G24.7 + 0.6 and the discovery of an ultracompact H II region

The Crab-like SNR G24.7 + 0.6 with 12 arcmin resolution at 20 cm wavelength has been observed. The image reveals a bright Crab-like core surrounded by a faint shell. An ultracompact H II region lies adjacent to the remnant core and several other compact H II regions lie just outside the remnant shell. Optical, far-infrared, and X-ray observations of the region are also presented. The specific attributes of this remnant and its place in the classification of composite versus Crab-like remnants as well as the general question of the association between Crab-like remnants and H II regions are discussed.

Becker, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

High-velocity emission in young supernova remnants: SN 1006 and SN 1572

The paper reports the discovery of broad H-alpha emission from the SN 1006 remnant with a FWHM velocity of 2600 + or - 100 km/s. This emission is similar to that seen in the remnant of SN 1572 which has a FWHM for H-alpha of 1800 km/s. The nonradiative model was used to interpret the line widths and the derived shock velocity was compared with proper motion measurements to derive distances of 1.4-2.1 kpc to SN 1006 and 2.0-2.8 kpc to SN 1572.

Kirshner, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1987

Regularly pulsed neutrinos from supernova SN1987A?

Some consequences of the 8.9 millisecond periodicity observed in neutrino events from SN1987A with the Kamiokonde and IMB experiments are discussed. Interpreting the apparent period as a rotation of a compact object would imply that the neutrino emission is anisotropic and that the neutrino mass, averaged over all observed flavors, is less than 0.2 eV/c-squared. It is also noted that P = 8.9 ms is a reasonable period for very young pulsars.

Harwit, Martin↗
NASA NTRS1987

The progenitor of SN 1987A - Spatially resolved ultraviolet spectroscopy of the supernova field

Careful deconvolution of spatially resolved IUE ultraviolet spectra shows that only two of the three stars detected in plate material before 1987 are now present near the site of SN 1987A. The separation, magnitudes, and spectra of these two are consistent with their identification as star 2 and star 3 of the Sanduleak -69 deg 202 trio. The clear implication is that star 1, the 12th mag B3 I star, has disappeared, and it may be identified as the progenitor of SN 1987A.

Sonneborn, George↗
NASA NTRS1988

Influence of the equilibration process in supernova remnant shocks on their X-ray and coronal iron surface brightnesses

SNR model computation results have been obtained which indicate that the radial distribution of soft X-ray and forbidden coronal Fe surface brightnesses in adiabatic, middle-aged SNRs can be used as a basis of discrimination for whether the equilibration time is short or long, by comparison with the ionization time-scale. These models are based on a grid of Sedov-Taylor models with time-dependent, nonequilibrium collisional ionization of 13 chemical elements; the two extreme equilibration conditions assumed are T(ion) = T(e) and a Coulomb equilibration of ion and electron temperatures. The models are compared with data taken from X-ray images of the Cygnus Loop and Puppis A.

Jerius, D.↗