The late behavior of supernova 1987A. I. The light curve. II. Gamma-ray transparency of the ejecta

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167402· OSTI ID:5841975

Arnett, W D; Fu, A

Observations of the late (t = 20-1500 days) bolometric light curve and the gamma-lines and X-rays from supernova 1987A are compared to theoretical models. It is found that 0.073 + or - 0.015 solar masses of freshly synthesized Ni-56 must be present to fit the bolometric light curve. The results place limits on the luminosity and presumed period of the newly formed pulsar/neutron star. In the second half of the paper, the problem of computing the luminosities in gamma-ray lines and in X-rays from supernova 1987A is addressed. High-energy observations suggest the development of large-scale clumping and bubbling of radioactive material in the ejecta. A model is proposed with a hydrogen envelope mass of about 7 solar masses, homologous scale expansion velocities of about 3000 km/s, and an approximately uniform mass distribution. 66 refs.

• Research Organization: Chicago Univ., IL (USA); Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5841975
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 340; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GALAXIES
GAMMA RADIATION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIMITING VALUES
LUMINOSITY
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
MASS
MASS DISTRIBUTION
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEUTRON STARS
NICKEL 56
NICKEL ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PULSARS
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STAR MODELS
STARS
SUPERNOVAE
SYNTHESIS
VARIABLE STARS
X RADIATION