HEAO 3 limits on the 44Ti yield in type I supernovae
Abstract
Data from the high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy experiment on HEAO 3 have been searched for line emission from the decay of 44Ti created in recent galactic supernova explosions. Because the 78-year mean life of 44Ti is comparable to the average time between galactic supernovae, the gamma-ray line emission from its decay should appear as a galactic point source. No evidence was found for such emission from a point source anywhere in the galactic plane, with a 1 σ limit of 8.3×10-5 photons cm-2 s-1. A detailed model was developed to simulate the galactic gamma-ray emission from the decay of 44Ti produced in type I supernovae. This model was used with the measured gamma-ray line limits to constrain the supernova yields and recurrence periods. For example, if the supernovae recurrence period is 36 years, the average 44Ti yield per event must be <4×10-4 Msolar at the 90% level of confidence.
- Publication:
-
Gamma-Ray Line Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- August 1991
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.40945
- Bibcode:
- 1991AIPC..232..291M
- Keywords:
-
- 97.60.Bw;
- 95.85.Qx;
- 97.10.Cv;
- 98.70.Rz;
- Supernovae;
- Stellar structure interiors evolution nucleosynthesis ages;
- gamma-ray sources;
- gamma-ray bursts