MOLECULAR ENVIRONMENT AND AN X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY OF SUPERNOVA REMNANT KESTEVEN 78
- Department of Astronomy, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)
We investigate the molecular environment of the Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) Kesteven 78 and perform an XMM-Newton X-ray spectroscopic study for the northeastern edge of the remnant. SNR Kes 78 is found to interact with the molecular clouds (MCs) at a systemic local standard of rest velocity of 81 km s{sup -1}. At around this velocity, the SNR appears to contact a long molecular strip in the northeast and a large cloud in the east as revealed in the {sup 13}CO line, which may be responsible for the radio brightness peak and the OH maser, respectively. The {sup 12}CO-line bright region morphologically matches the eastern bright radio shell in general, and the SNR is consistent in extent with a CO cavity. Broadened {sup 12}CO-line profiles discerned in the eastern maser region and the western clumpy molecular arc and the elevated {sup 12}CO (J = 2-1)/(J = 1-0) ratios along the SNR boundary may be signatures of shock perturbation in the molecular gas. The SNR-MC association places the SNR at a kinematic distance of 4.8 kpc. The X-rays arising from the northeastern radio shell are emitted by underionized hot ({approx}1.5 keV), low-density ({approx}0.1 cm{sup -3}) plasma with solar abundance, and the plasma may be of intercloud origin. The age of the remnant is inferred to be about 6 kyr. The size of the molecular cavity in Kes 78 implies an initial mass around 22 M{sub Sun} for the progenitor.
- OSTI ID:
- 22004578
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 743, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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