A Detailed Analysis of a Cygnus Loop Shock-Cloud Interaction

The XA region of the Cygnus Loop is a complex zone of radiative and nonradiatve shocks interacting with interstellar clouds. We combine five far ultraviolet spectral observations from the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), a grid of 24 IUE spectra, and a high-resolution long-slit Hα spectrum to study the spatial emission line variations across the region. These spectral data are placed in context using ground-based optical emission-line images of the region and a far-UV image obtained by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT). The presence of high-ionization species (O VI, N V, and C IV) indicates a shock velocity near 170 km s^-1 while other diagnostics indicate v_sh~140 km s^-1. It is likely that a large range of shock velocities may exist at a spatial scale smaller than we are able to resolve. By comparing C IV λ1550, C III λ977, and C III] λ1909, we explore resonance scattering across the region. We find that a significant column depth is present at all positions, including those not near bright optical or UV filaments. Analysis of the O VI doublet ratio suggests an average optical depth of about unity in that ion, while flux measurements of [Si VIII] λ1443 suggest a hot component in the region at just below 10⁶ K. Given the brightness of the O VI emission and the age of the interaction, we rule out the mixing-layer interpretation of the UV emission. Furthermore, we formulate a picture of the XA region as that of an encounter of the blast wave with a finger of dense gas protruding inward from the pre-supernova cavity.