Tycho SN 1572: A Naked Ia Supernova Remnant Without an Associated Ambient Molecular Cloud
Abstract
The historical supernova remnant (SNR) Tycho SN 1572 originates from the explosion of a normal Type Ia supernova that is believed to have originated from a carbon-oxygen white dwarf in a binary system. We analyze the 21 cm continuum, H I, and 12CO-line data from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey in the direction of SN 1572 and the surrounding region. We construct H I absorption spectra to SN 1572 and three nearby compact sources. We conclude that SN 1572 has no molecular cloud interaction, which argues against previous claims that a molecular cloud is interacting with the SNR. This new result does not support a recent claim that dust, newly detected by AKARI, originates from such an SNR-cloud interaction. We suggest that the SNR has a kinematic distance of 2.5-3.0 kpc based on a nonlinear rotational curve model. Very high energy γ-ray emission from the remnant has been detected by the VERITAS telescope, so our result shows that its origin should not be an SNR-cloud interaction. Both radio and X-ray observations support that SN 1572 is an isolated Type Ia SNR.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1088/2041-8205/729/2/L15
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1012.5673
- Bibcode:
- 2011ApJ...729L..15T
- Keywords:
-
- cosmic rays;
- gamma rays: ISM;
- ISM: clouds;
- ISM: supernova remnants;
- radio lines: ISM;
- stars: distances;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- 14 pages, 4 figs, accepted by ApJ Letters