ROSAT observation of a new supernova remnant in the constellation Scorpius.
Abstract
During the ROSAT X-ray all-sky survey a previously unknown extended X-ray source was discovered centered at α(2000) = 17h13m42s, δ(2000) = -39°46″7″ The source has a slightly elliptical shape with a maximum extent of ≡70'. The size, the morphology and the energy spectrum suggest a thermal, shell-type galactic supernova remnant. The X-ray spectrum of the remnant shows pronounced absorption at low energies with significant variation of the absorbing column density across the emission region. The X-ray flux is 4.4×10-10erg cm-2s-1 between 0.1-2.4 keV ranking it among the brightest galactic supernova remnants. The Sedov solution with a canonical SN explosion energy of 1051erg puts the remnant at a distance of 1.1 kpc, with a surprising low age of ≡2100 yr. Two X-ray point sources have been detected in the extended emission region. Candidates for the eastern point source are the Wolf-Rayet star WR 85 embedded in an Hα region of 13' radius (RCW 118) and a G5IA star. A counterpart for the second source could not yet be found.
- Publication:
-
Roentgenstrahlung from the Universe
- Pub Date:
- February 1996
- Bibcode:
- 1996rftu.proc..267P
- Keywords:
-
- Supernova Remnants: Discoveries;
- Supernova Remnants: X-Ray Images;
- Supernova Remnants: Morphology;
- X-Ray Sources: Wolf-Rayet Stars