The Optical Structure of the Crab Nebula's ``Jet''
Abstract
A deep, high-resolution forbidden O III image of the Crab Nebula's northern 'jet' is presented which reveals considerably finer details than visible on previous photographs. The jet's small-scale structure appears composed of numerous emission-line filaments and knots which collectively exhibit a strong alignment having well-defined east-west boundaries. Comparison with an earlier published image suggests a proper motion northward for one of the jet's emission knots of 0.22 + or - 0.05 arcsec/yr. The jet's optical morphology is discussed and its properties compared to predictions of several proposed models. The 'shadowed flow' model suggested by Morrison and Roberts (1985) appears to explain best the jet's known properties.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- July 1986
- DOI:
- 10.1086/164339
- Bibcode:
- 1986ApJ...306..259F
- Keywords:
-
- Crab Nebula;
- Image Analysis;
- Plasma Jets;
- Visible Spectrum;
- Astronomical Models;
- Astronomical Spectroscopy;
- Emission Spectra;
- Line Spectra;
- Spectral Energy Distribution;
- Supernova Remnants;
- Astrophysics;
- NEBULAE: CRAB NEBULA;
- NEBULAE: SUPERNOVA REMNANTS