The identification of Balmer-dominated filaments in RCW 86

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/185768· OSTI ID:6863790

Long, K S; Blair, W P ^[1]

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1. Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA)

Faint optical filaments are identified in the SNR RCW 86. These filaments emit primarily in H-alpha in the wavelength range 6250-7450 A, unlike the brighter radiative filaments that have been reported previously. The new filaments are similar to the nonradiative filaments seen in other SNRs, which are thought to arise from fast shock waves interacting with partially neutral interstellar matter. The H-alpha lines have two components; the widths of the broad components are consistent with a shock speed in RCW 86 of 500-930 km/sec. These shocks have sufficient velocity to produce the X-ray emission observed in RCW 86 and are likely to be associated with the primary blast wave. 21 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6863790
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 358; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• 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
BALMER LINES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
FORBIDDEN TRANSITIONS
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
MORPHOLOGY
SHOCK WAVES
SPACE
SPECTRA
STARS
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
SUPERNOVAE
VARIABLE STARS
VISIBLE SPECTRA
X-RAY SPECTRA