Computer Science
Scientific paper
Aug 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006iaujd...9e..46c&link_type=abstract
Supernovae: One Millennium After SN1006, 26th meeting of the IAU, Joint Discussion 9, 17-18 August 2006, Prague, Czech Republic,
Computer Science
Scientific paper
Introduction: N157B is a young composite supernova remnant located in the 30 Doradus star-formation region of the LMC. This remnant contains the most energetic pulsar known (PSR J0537-6910), which is surrounded by a pulsar wind nebula (PWN). Methods: We present spatially resolved X-ray spectral analysis of SNR N157B using Chandra ACIS observation. The X-ray images are also compared with HST and Spitzer images. A toy model is constructed to calculate the synchrotron cooling of the PWN trail. Results: We find that the bright nonthermal bar at the head of the PWN is spectrally consistent with a toroidal pulsar wind terminal shock observed edge-on.We confirm the non-thermal nature of the comet-shaped X-ray emission feature and show that the spectral steepening of this feature away from the pulsar is quantitatively consistent with synchrotron cooling of shocked pulsar wind particles flowing downstream at a bulk velocity close to the speed of light. Around the cometary nebula we unambiguously detect a thermal component, which accounts for about 1/3 of the total 0.5-10 keV flux from the remnant. This thermal component is distributed among various clumps of metal-enriched plasma embedded in the low surface brightness X-ray-emitting diffuse gas. The relative metal enrichment pattern suggests that the mass of the supernova progenitor is >~ 20M[&sun;]. A comparison of the X-ray data with HST optical images suggests that the explosion site is close to a dense cloud, against which a reflection shock is launched. The interaction between this reflection shock and the nebula has likely produced both its cometary shape and the surrounding thermal emission enhancement. SNR N157B is apparently expanding into the hot low-density interior of a surrounding superbubble formed by the young OB association LH99, as revealed by Spitzer mid-infrared images. This scenario naturally explains the exceptionally large sizes of both the thermal and nonthermal components as well as the lack of an outer shell of the SNR. Discussion: These results provide a rare glimpse into the SNR structure and evolution in a region of recent star-formation.
Chen Yang
Chu Y.-H. Y.-H.
Gotthelf Eric Van
Gruendl Robert
Jiang Bing
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