IUE observations of supernova remnants

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Adv. Space Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6544039

Raymond, J C

Ultraviolet spectra of supernova remnants obtained with the IUE satellite provide unique information concerning the shock conditions and elemental abundances in the optically bright filaments. High temperature species such as N V provide diagnostics for shock velocities above 100 k/s, and strong lines of carbon and silicon in the IUE spectral range make it possible to study the destruction of refractory grains in shocked interstellar gas. Observations of a nonradiative shock at the edge of the Cygnus Loop provide constraints on the physics of the shock front itself. Most of the very young remnants whose optical spectra show anomalous elemental abundances are too highly reddened for IUE observations, but extensive observations of the Crab Nebula and a spectrum of the supernova remnant in NGC 4449 yield carbon to oxygen ratios from which the mass of the progenitor may be estimated.

• Research Organization: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA
• OSTI ID: 6544039
• Report Number(s): CONF-820582-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Adv. Space Res.; (United States) Journal Volume: 2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
BALMER LINES
CARBON
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
CRAB NEBULA
ELEMENTS
NEBULAE
NONMETALS
SHOCK WAVES
SPECTRA
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA