Chandra X-Ray StudY of Sgr A-East

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The Chandra X-ray Observatory recently observed the Galactic Center region with the ACIS instrument. This paper reports on X-ray emission from the nonthermal shell-like radio source Sgr A East which is now clearly resolved from other complex structures in the region. The X-ray emitting region is ~30\arcsec (1.2 pc) extent and is centrally concentrated within the radio shell; no emission is seen from the shell itself. The spectrum shows strong Kα lines from highly ionized ions of S, Ar, Ca and Fe. A simple isothermal plasma model gives temperature kT ~ 2 keV, absorption NH ~= 1 x 1023 cm-2, luminosity L x ~ 8 x 1034 ergs s-1 in the 2--10 keV band, and gas mass 2 η (1)/(2) Msun with a filling factor η . The plasma appears to be rich in heavy elements, a factor ~ 4 above solar levels, and iron concentration appears to be stratified towards the interior. The energetics and size of the X-ray emission support the hypothesis that Sgr A East is a single SNR, arising either from a Type Ia or Type II supernova from a M ≈ 10-20 Msun star. It has a 'mixed morphology' (centrally concentrated X-rays within a radio shell) and is similar to the SNR W49B. From velocity shear and other arguments, we infer its age is probably ~ 10,000 yr. The relationship between Sgr A East and the supermassive black hole Sgr A* is discussed. This research was supported by NASA grant NAS8-38252.

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