The NuSTAR Program for Supernova Remnants
Abstract
The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), successfully launched in June 2012, is the first telescope to bring the the hard X-ray (3 to 79 keV) sky into focus. One of NuSTAR's prime science goals is to study the morphology of the previously unresolved hard X-ray emission from supernova remnants (SNRs). Spatial and spectral characterization of the hard X-ray synchrotron emission is essential to understanding the physics of particle acceleration in SNR and has implications for origin of galactic cosmic rays. Young (< 1 kyr) remnants may also show emission from decay products of Ti-44, which has great importance in understanding supernova explosion mechanisms. In this poster we present NuSTAR plans for observing SNRs as well as early results from SNRs observed in the first six months since launch, including preliminary results for Cassiopeia A. Discussions of Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe) and G21.5-0.9 are presented in a companion posters by K. Madsen and M. Nynka, respectively.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #221
- Pub Date:
- January 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AAS...22124408G