CHANDRA OBSERVES the END of AN ERA in SN 1987A

Kari A. Frank; Svetozar A. Zhekov; Sangwook Park; Richard McCray; Eli Dwek; David N. Burrows

doi:10.3847/0004-637X/829/1/40

CHANDRA OBSERVES the END of AN ERA in SN 1987A

Kari A. Frank, Svetozar A. Zhekov, Sangwook Park, Richard McCray, Eli Dwek, David N. Burrows

CIERA - Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

55 Scopus citations

Abstract

Updated imaging and photometric results from Chandra observations of SN 1987A, covering the last 16 years, are presented. We find that the 0.5-2 keV light curve has remained constant at ∼8 × 10^-12 erg s^-1 cm^-2 since 9500 days, with the 3-8 keV light curve continuing to increase until at least 10,000 days. The expansion rate of the ring is found to be energy dependent, such that after day 6000 the ring expands faster in the 2-10 keV band than it does at energies <2 keV. Images show a reversal of the east-west asymmetry between 7000 and 8000 days after the explosion. The latest images suggest the southeastern side of the equatorial ring (ER) is beginning to fade. Consistent with the latest optical and infrared results, our Chandra analysis indicates the blast wave is now leaving the dense ER, which marks the beginning of a major change in the evolutionary phase of the supernova remnant 1987A.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	40
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	829
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/829/1/40
State	Published - Sep 20 2016

Funding

Support for this work was provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through Chandra Award Numbers GO3-14058X, GO4-15056X, and GO5-16054X issued by the Chandra X-ray Observatory Center, which is operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for and on behalf of the National Aeronautics Space Administration under contract NAS8-03060.

Keywords

ISM: supernova remnants
X-rays: ISM
X-rays: individual (SN 1987A)
circumstellar matter

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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title = "CHANDRA OBSERVES the END of AN ERA in SN 1987A",

abstract = "Updated imaging and photometric results from Chandra observations of SN 1987A, covering the last 16 years, are presented. We find that the 0.5-2 keV light curve has remained constant at ∼8 × 10-12 erg s-1 cm-2 since 9500 days, with the 3-8 keV light curve continuing to increase until at least 10,000 days. The expansion rate of the ring is found to be energy dependent, such that after day 6000 the ring expands faster in the 2-10 keV band than it does at energies <2 keV. Images show a reversal of the east-west asymmetry between 7000 and 8000 days after the explosion. The latest images suggest the southeastern side of the equatorial ring (ER) is beginning to fade. Consistent with the latest optical and infrared results, our Chandra analysis indicates the blast wave is now leaving the dense ER, which marks the beginning of a major change in the evolutionary phase of the supernova remnant 1987A.",

keywords = "ISM: supernova remnants, X-rays: ISM, X-rays: individual (SN 1987A), circumstellar matter",

author = "Frank, {Kari A.} and Zhekov, {Svetozar A.} and Sangwook Park and Richard McCray and Eli Dwek and Burrows, {David N.}",

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T1 - CHANDRA OBSERVES the END of AN ERA in SN 1987A

AU - Frank, Kari A.

AU - Zhekov, Svetozar A.

AU - Park, Sangwook

AU - McCray, Richard

AU - Dwek, Eli

AU - Burrows, David N.

PY - 2016/9/20

Y1 - 2016/9/20

N2 - Updated imaging and photometric results from Chandra observations of SN 1987A, covering the last 16 years, are presented. We find that the 0.5-2 keV light curve has remained constant at ∼8 × 10-12 erg s-1 cm-2 since 9500 days, with the 3-8 keV light curve continuing to increase until at least 10,000 days. The expansion rate of the ring is found to be energy dependent, such that after day 6000 the ring expands faster in the 2-10 keV band than it does at energies <2 keV. Images show a reversal of the east-west asymmetry between 7000 and 8000 days after the explosion. The latest images suggest the southeastern side of the equatorial ring (ER) is beginning to fade. Consistent with the latest optical and infrared results, our Chandra analysis indicates the blast wave is now leaving the dense ER, which marks the beginning of a major change in the evolutionary phase of the supernova remnant 1987A.

AB - Updated imaging and photometric results from Chandra observations of SN 1987A, covering the last 16 years, are presented. We find that the 0.5-2 keV light curve has remained constant at ∼8 × 10-12 erg s-1 cm-2 since 9500 days, with the 3-8 keV light curve continuing to increase until at least 10,000 days. The expansion rate of the ring is found to be energy dependent, such that after day 6000 the ring expands faster in the 2-10 keV band than it does at energies <2 keV. Images show a reversal of the east-west asymmetry between 7000 and 8000 days after the explosion. The latest images suggest the southeastern side of the equatorial ring (ER) is beginning to fade. Consistent with the latest optical and infrared results, our Chandra analysis indicates the blast wave is now leaving the dense ER, which marks the beginning of a major change in the evolutionary phase of the supernova remnant 1987A.

KW - ISM: supernova remnants

KW - X-rays: ISM

KW - X-rays: individual (SN 1987A)

KW - circumstellar matter

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CHANDRA OBSERVES the END of AN ERA in SN 1987A

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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