Coronal emission from the shocked circumstellar ring of SN 1987A
Abstract
High resolution spectra with UVES/VLT of SN 1987A from December 2000 until November 2005 show a number of high ionization lines from gas with velocities of ± 350 km s-1, emerging from the shocked gas formed by the ejecta-ring collision. These include coronal lines from [Fe X], [Fe XI] and [Fe XIV] which have increased by a factor of 20 during the observed period. The evolution of the lines is similar to that of the soft X-rays, indicating that they arise in the same component. The line ratios are consistent with those expected from radiative shocks with velocity 310{-}390 km s-1, corresponding to a shock temperature of (1.6{-}2.5)× 106 K. A fraction of the coronal emission may, however, originate in higher velocity adiabatic shocks.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- September 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361:20065325
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0603815
- Bibcode:
- 2006A&A...456..581G
- Keywords:
-
- supernovae: individual: SN 1987A;
- circumstellar matter;
- shock waves;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 11 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&