skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: INFRARED AND X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY OF THE Kes 75 SUPERNOVA REMNANT SHELL: CHARACTERIZING THE DUST AND GAS PROPERTIES

Abstract

We present deep Chandra observations and Spitzer Space Telescope infrared (IR) spectroscopy of the shell in the composite supernova remnant (SNR) Kes 75 (G29.7-0.3). The remnant is composed of a central pulsar wind nebula and a bright partial shell in the south that is visible at radio, IR, and X-ray wavelengths. The X-ray emission can be modeled by either a single thermal component with a temperature of {approx}1.5 keV, or with two thermal components with temperatures of 1.5 and 0.2 keV. Previous studies suggest that the hot component may originate from reverse-shocked supernova (SN) ejecta. However, our new analysis shows no definitive evidence for enhanced abundances of Si, S, Ar, Mg, and Fe, as expected from SN ejecta, or for the IR spectral signatures characteristic of confirmed SN condensed dust, thus favoring a circumstellar or interstellar origin for the X-ray and IR emission. The X-ray and IR emission in the shell are spatially correlated, suggesting that the dust particles are collisionally heated by the X-ray emitting gas. The IR spectrum of the shell is dominated by continuum emission from dust with little, or no line emission. Modeling the IR spectrum shows that the dust is heated to a temperature ofmore » {approx}140 K by a relatively dense, hot plasma that also gives rise to the hot X-ray emission component. The density inferred from the IR emission is significantly higher than the density inferred from the X-ray models, suggesting a low filling factor for this X-ray emitting gas. The total mass of the warm dust component is at least 1.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -2} M{sub Sun }, assuming no significant dust destruction has occurred in the shell. The IR data also reveal the presence of an additional plasma component with a cooler temperature, consistent with the 0.2 keV gas component. Our IR analysis therefore provides an independent verification of the cooler component of the X-ray emission. The complementary analyses of the X-ray and IR emission provide quantitative estimates of density and filling factors of the clumpy medium swept up by the SNR.« less

Authors:
;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Observational Cosmology Lab, Code 665, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
  2. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
  3. Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22012008
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 745; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ABUNDANCE; DUSTS; HOT PLASMA; INFRARED SPECTRA; MASS; NEBULAE; PHOTON EMISSION; PULSARS; SUPERNOVA REMNANTS; TELESCOPES; X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY

Citation Formats

Temim, Tea, Arendt, Richard G, Slane, Patrick, and Dwek, Eli. INFRARED AND X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY OF THE Kes 75 SUPERNOVA REMNANT SHELL: CHARACTERIZING THE DUST AND GAS PROPERTIES. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/46.
Temim, Tea, Arendt, Richard G, Slane, Patrick, & Dwek, Eli. INFRARED AND X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY OF THE Kes 75 SUPERNOVA REMNANT SHELL: CHARACTERIZING THE DUST AND GAS PROPERTIES. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/46
Temim, Tea, Arendt, Richard G, Slane, Patrick, and Dwek, Eli. 2012. "INFRARED AND X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY OF THE Kes 75 SUPERNOVA REMNANT SHELL: CHARACTERIZING THE DUST AND GAS PROPERTIES". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/46.
@article{osti_22012008,
title = {INFRARED AND X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY OF THE Kes 75 SUPERNOVA REMNANT SHELL: CHARACTERIZING THE DUST AND GAS PROPERTIES},
author = {Temim, Tea and Arendt, Richard G and Slane, Patrick and Dwek, Eli},
abstractNote = {We present deep Chandra observations and Spitzer Space Telescope infrared (IR) spectroscopy of the shell in the composite supernova remnant (SNR) Kes 75 (G29.7-0.3). The remnant is composed of a central pulsar wind nebula and a bright partial shell in the south that is visible at radio, IR, and X-ray wavelengths. The X-ray emission can be modeled by either a single thermal component with a temperature of {approx}1.5 keV, or with two thermal components with temperatures of 1.5 and 0.2 keV. Previous studies suggest that the hot component may originate from reverse-shocked supernova (SN) ejecta. However, our new analysis shows no definitive evidence for enhanced abundances of Si, S, Ar, Mg, and Fe, as expected from SN ejecta, or for the IR spectral signatures characteristic of confirmed SN condensed dust, thus favoring a circumstellar or interstellar origin for the X-ray and IR emission. The X-ray and IR emission in the shell are spatially correlated, suggesting that the dust particles are collisionally heated by the X-ray emitting gas. The IR spectrum of the shell is dominated by continuum emission from dust with little, or no line emission. Modeling the IR spectrum shows that the dust is heated to a temperature of {approx}140 K by a relatively dense, hot plasma that also gives rise to the hot X-ray emission component. The density inferred from the IR emission is significantly higher than the density inferred from the X-ray models, suggesting a low filling factor for this X-ray emitting gas. The total mass of the warm dust component is at least 1.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -2} M{sub Sun }, assuming no significant dust destruction has occurred in the shell. The IR data also reveal the presence of an additional plasma component with a cooler temperature, consistent with the 0.2 keV gas component. Our IR analysis therefore provides an independent verification of the cooler component of the X-ray emission. The complementary analyses of the X-ray and IR emission provide quantitative estimates of density and filling factors of the clumpy medium swept up by the SNR.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/46},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22012008}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 745,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 2012},
month = {Fri Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 2012}
}