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Title: POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON PROCESSING IN THE BLAST WAVE OF THE SUPERNOVA REMNANT N132D

Abstract

We present Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph 14-36 {mu}m mapping observations of the supernova remnant N132D in the Large Magellanic Cloud. This study focuses on the processing of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that we previously identified in the southern blast wave. The mid-infrared spectra show strong continuum emission from shock-heated dust and a unique, nearly featureless plateau in the 15-20 {mu}m region, which we attribute to PAH molecules. The typical PAH emission bands observed in the surrounding interstellar medium ahead of the blast wave disappear, which indicates shock processing of PAH molecules. The PAH plateau appears most strongly at the outer edge of the blast wave and coincides with diffuse X-ray emission that precedes the brightest X-ray and optical filaments. This suggests that PAH molecules in the surrounding medium are swept up and processed in the hot gas of the blast wave shock, where they survive the harsh conditions long enough to be detected. We also observe a broad emission feature at 20 {mu}m appearing with the PAH plateau. We speculate that this feature is either due to FeO dust grains or connected to the processing of PAHs in the supernova blast wave shock.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS-72, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
  2. SOFIA Science Mission Operations/USRA, NASA Ames Research Center, MS 211-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States)
  3. NASA Ames Research Center, MS 245-6, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22039230
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 754; Journal Issue: 2; 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; ASTRONOMY; ASTROPHYSICS; COSMIC DUST; FILAMENTS; INFRARED SPECTRA; INTERMEDIATE INFRARED RADIATION; IRON OXIDES; MAGELLANIC CLOUDS; MAPPING; MOLECULES; PHOTON EMISSION; POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS; SHOCK WAVES; SUPERNOVA REMNANTS; X RADIATION; X-RAY SPECTRA

Citation Formats

Tappe, A, Rho, J, Boersma, C, and Micelotta, E. R., E-mail: atappe@cfa.harvard.edu. POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON PROCESSING IN THE BLAST WAVE OF THE SUPERNOVA REMNANT N132D. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/754/2/132.
Tappe, A, Rho, J, Boersma, C, & Micelotta, E. R., E-mail: atappe@cfa.harvard.edu. POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON PROCESSING IN THE BLAST WAVE OF THE SUPERNOVA REMNANT N132D. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/754/2/132
Tappe, A, Rho, J, Boersma, C, and Micelotta, E. R., E-mail: atappe@cfa.harvard.edu. 2012. "POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON PROCESSING IN THE BLAST WAVE OF THE SUPERNOVA REMNANT N132D". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/754/2/132.
@article{osti_22039230,
title = {POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON PROCESSING IN THE BLAST WAVE OF THE SUPERNOVA REMNANT N132D},
author = {Tappe, A and Rho, J and Boersma, C and Micelotta, E. R., E-mail: atappe@cfa.harvard.edu},
abstractNote = {We present Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph 14-36 {mu}m mapping observations of the supernova remnant N132D in the Large Magellanic Cloud. This study focuses on the processing of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that we previously identified in the southern blast wave. The mid-infrared spectra show strong continuum emission from shock-heated dust and a unique, nearly featureless plateau in the 15-20 {mu}m region, which we attribute to PAH molecules. The typical PAH emission bands observed in the surrounding interstellar medium ahead of the blast wave disappear, which indicates shock processing of PAH molecules. The PAH plateau appears most strongly at the outer edge of the blast wave and coincides with diffuse X-ray emission that precedes the brightest X-ray and optical filaments. This suggests that PAH molecules in the surrounding medium are swept up and processed in the hot gas of the blast wave shock, where they survive the harsh conditions long enough to be detected. We also observe a broad emission feature at 20 {mu}m appearing with the PAH plateau. We speculate that this feature is either due to FeO dust grains or connected to the processing of PAHs in the supernova blast wave shock.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/754/2/132},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22039230}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 2,
volume = 754,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}