Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2008-02-13
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
18 pages, 22 figures, version accepted by A&A. Electronic supplement available at http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/~dima/CasA_OR
Scientific paper
10.1051/0004-6361:200809579
Context. Fast-moving knots (FMK) in the Galactic supernova remnant Cassiopeia A consist mainly of metals and allow to study element production in supernovae and shock physics in great detail. Aims. We work out theoretically and suggest to observe previously unexplored class of spectral lines -- metal recombination lines in optical and near-infrared bands -- emitted by the cold ionized and cooling plasma in the fast-moving knots. Methods. By tracing ion radiative and dielectronic recombination, collisional $l$-redistribution and radiative cascade processes, we compute resulting oxygen, silicon and sulphur recombination line emissivities. It allows us to determine the oxygen recombination line fluxes, based on the fast-moving knot model of Sutherland and Dopita (1995b), that predicts existence of highly-ionized ions from moderate to very low plasma temperatures. Results. The calculations predict oxygen ion recombination line fluxes detectable on modern optical telescopes in the wavelength range from 0.5 to 3 microns. Line ratios to collisionally-excited lines will allow to probe in detail the process of rapid cloud cooling after passage of a shock front, to test high abundances of O V and O VI ions at low temperatures and measure them, to test existing theoretical models of a FMK and to build more precise ones.
Docenko Dmitrijs
Sunyaev Rashid A.
No associations
LandOfFree
Optical and near-infrared recombination lines of oxygen ions from Cassiopeia A knots does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Optical and near-infrared recombination lines of oxygen ions from Cassiopeia A knots, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Optical and near-infrared recombination lines of oxygen ions from Cassiopeia A knots will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-681868