Oriented scintillation spectrometer experiment observations of 57Co in SN 1987A

J. D. Kurfess; W. N. Johnson; R. L. Kinzer; R. A. Kroeger; M. S. Strickman; J. E. Grove; M. D. Leising; D. D. Clayton; D. A. Grabelsky; W. R. Purcell; M. P. Ulmer; R. A. Cameron; G. V. Jung

doi:10.1086/186626

Oriented scintillation spectrometer experiment observations of ⁵⁷Co in SN 1987A

J. D. Kurfess^*, W. N. Johnson, R. L. Kinzer, R. A. Kroeger, M. S. Strickman, J. E. Grove, M. D. Leising, D. D. Clayton, D. A. Grabelsky, W. R. Purcell, M. P. Ulmer, R. A. Cameron, G. V. Jung

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics and Astronomy

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104 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory has observed SN 1987A for two 2 week periods during the first 9 months of the mission. Evidence for gamma-ray line and continuum emission from ⁵⁷Co is observed with an intensity of about 10^-4 gamma cm^-2 s^-1. This photon flux between 50 and 136 keV is demonstrated by Monte Carlo calculations to be independent of the radial distribution of ⁵⁷Co for models of low optical depth, viz., models having photoelectric absorption losses of 122 keV photons no greater than several percent. For such models the observed ⁵⁷Co flux indicates that the ratio ⁵⁷Ni/⁵⁶Ni produced in the explosion was about 1.5 times the solar system ratio of ⁵⁷Fe/⁵⁶Fe. When compared with nearly contemporaneous bolometric estimates of the luminosity for SN 1987A, our observations imply that ⁵⁷Co radioactivity does not account for most of the current luminosity of the supernova remnant in low optical depth models. We suggest alternatives, including a large optical depth model that is able to provide the SN 1987A luminosity and is consistent with the OSSE flux. It requires a 57/56 production ratio about twice solar.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L137-L140
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	399
Issue number	2 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/186626
State	Published - Nov 10 1992

Keywords

Gamma rays: observations
Nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis, abundances
Supernovae: individual (SN 1987A)
X-rays: general

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/186626

Cite this

Kurfess, J. D., Johnson, W. N., Kinzer, R. L., Kroeger, R. A., Strickman, M. S., Grove, J. E., Leising, M. D., Clayton, D. D., Grabelsky, D. A., Purcell, W. R., Ulmer, M. P., Cameron, R. A., & Jung, G. V. (1992). Oriented scintillation spectrometer experiment observations of ⁵⁷Co in SN 1987A. Astrophysical Journal, 399(2 PART 2), L137-L140. https://doi.org/10.1086/186626

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title = "Oriented scintillation spectrometer experiment observations of 57Co in SN 1987A",

abstract = "The Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory has observed SN 1987A for two 2 week periods during the first 9 months of the mission. Evidence for gamma-ray line and continuum emission from 57Co is observed with an intensity of about 10-4 gamma cm-2 s-1. This photon flux between 50 and 136 keV is demonstrated by Monte Carlo calculations to be independent of the radial distribution of 57Co for models of low optical depth, viz., models having photoelectric absorption losses of 122 keV photons no greater than several percent. For such models the observed 57Co flux indicates that the ratio 57Ni/56Ni produced in the explosion was about 1.5 times the solar system ratio of 57Fe/56Fe. When compared with nearly contemporaneous bolometric estimates of the luminosity for SN 1987A, our observations imply that 57Co radioactivity does not account for most of the current luminosity of the supernova remnant in low optical depth models. We suggest alternatives, including a large optical depth model that is able to provide the SN 1987A luminosity and is consistent with the OSSE flux. It requires a 57/56 production ratio about twice solar.",

keywords = "Gamma rays: observations, Nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis, abundances, Supernovae: individual (SN 1987A), X-rays: general",

author = "Kurfess, {J. D.} and Johnson, {W. N.} and Kinzer, {R. L.} and Kroeger, {R. A.} and Strickman, {M. S.} and Grove, {J. E.} and Leising, {M. D.} and Clayton, {D. D.} and Grabelsky, {D. A.} and Purcell, {W. R.} and Ulmer, {M. P.} and Cameron, {R. A.} and Jung, {G. V.}",

year = "1992",

month = nov,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1086/186626",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Oriented scintillation spectrometer experiment observations of 57Co in SN 1987A

AU - Kurfess, J. D.

AU - Johnson, W. N.

AU - Kinzer, R. L.

AU - Kroeger, R. A.

AU - Strickman, M. S.

AU - Grove, J. E.

AU - Leising, M. D.

AU - Clayton, D. D.

AU - Grabelsky, D. A.

AU - Purcell, W. R.

AU - Ulmer, M. P.

AU - Cameron, R. A.

AU - Jung, G. V.

PY - 1992/11/10

Y1 - 1992/11/10

N2 - The Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory has observed SN 1987A for two 2 week periods during the first 9 months of the mission. Evidence for gamma-ray line and continuum emission from 57Co is observed with an intensity of about 10-4 gamma cm-2 s-1. This photon flux between 50 and 136 keV is demonstrated by Monte Carlo calculations to be independent of the radial distribution of 57Co for models of low optical depth, viz., models having photoelectric absorption losses of 122 keV photons no greater than several percent. For such models the observed 57Co flux indicates that the ratio 57Ni/56Ni produced in the explosion was about 1.5 times the solar system ratio of 57Fe/56Fe. When compared with nearly contemporaneous bolometric estimates of the luminosity for SN 1987A, our observations imply that 57Co radioactivity does not account for most of the current luminosity of the supernova remnant in low optical depth models. We suggest alternatives, including a large optical depth model that is able to provide the SN 1987A luminosity and is consistent with the OSSE flux. It requires a 57/56 production ratio about twice solar.

AB - The Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory has observed SN 1987A for two 2 week periods during the first 9 months of the mission. Evidence for gamma-ray line and continuum emission from 57Co is observed with an intensity of about 10-4 gamma cm-2 s-1. This photon flux between 50 and 136 keV is demonstrated by Monte Carlo calculations to be independent of the radial distribution of 57Co for models of low optical depth, viz., models having photoelectric absorption losses of 122 keV photons no greater than several percent. For such models the observed 57Co flux indicates that the ratio 57Ni/56Ni produced in the explosion was about 1.5 times the solar system ratio of 57Fe/56Fe. When compared with nearly contemporaneous bolometric estimates of the luminosity for SN 1987A, our observations imply that 57Co radioactivity does not account for most of the current luminosity of the supernova remnant in low optical depth models. We suggest alternatives, including a large optical depth model that is able to provide the SN 1987A luminosity and is consistent with the OSSE flux. It requires a 57/56 production ratio about twice solar.

KW - Gamma rays: observations

KW - Nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis, abundances

KW - Supernovae: individual (SN 1987A)

KW - X-rays: general

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