Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2003-08-12
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
8 pages, 6 figures, 2 color figures, To appear in AdSpR (Proceedings 34th COSPAR Synposium E1.4 "High Energy Studies of Supern
Scientific paper
10.1016/j.asr.2003.08.017
We report on the results of our monitoring program of the X-ray remnant of supernova 1987A with the {\it Chandra X-Ray Observatory}. We have performed two new observations during the {\it Chandra} Cycle 3 period, bringing the total to six monitoring observations over the past three years. These six observations provide a detailed time history of the birth of a new supernova remnant in X-rays. The high angular resolution images indicate that soft X-ray bright knots are associated with the optical spots, while hard X-ray features are better correlated with radio images. We interpret this in terms of a model in which fast shocks propagating through the circumstellar HII region produce the hard X-ray and radio emission, while the soft X-ray and optical emission arise in slower shocks entering into dense knots in the circumstellar inner ring. New observations begin to show changes in the morphology that may herald a new stage in the development of this incipient supernova remnant. The observed X-ray fluxes increase by nearly a factor of three over the last 30 months. The X-ray remnant is expanding at a velocity of $\sim$5000 km s$^{-1}$.
Burrows David N.
Hasinger Guenter
McCray Richard
Michael Eli
Park Sahnggi
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