Evolution of the Reverse Shock Emission from SNR 1987A | Zendy

Kevin Heng | Zendy; Richard McCray | Zendy; Svetozar A. Zhekov | Zendy; P. Challis | Zendy; Roger A. Chevalier | Zendy; Arlin Crotts | Zendy; Claes Fransson | Zendy; P. Garnavich | Zendy; R. Kirshner | Zendy; Stephen S. Lawrence | Zendy; Peter Lundqvist | Zendy; N. Panagia | Zendy; C. S. J. Pun | Zendy; Nathan Smith | Zendy; J. Sollerman | Zendy; Lifan Wang | Zendy

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Evolution of the Reverse Shock Emission from SNR 1987A

Author(s) -

Kevin Heng,

Richard McCray,

Svetozar A. Zhekov,

P. Challis,

Roger A. Chevalier,

Arlin Crotts,

Claes Fransson,

P. Garnavich,

R. Kirshner,

Stephen S. Lawrence,

Peter Lundqvist,

N. Panagia,

C. S. J. Pun,

Nathan Smith,

J. Sollerman,

Lifan Wang

Publication year - 2006

Publication title -

the astrophysical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376

H-Index - 489

eISSN - 1538-4357

pISSN - 0004-637X

DOI - 10.1086/503896

Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , supernova , flux (metallurgy) , supernova remnant , shock (circulatory) , emission spectrum , light curve , astronomy , spectral line , chemistry , medicine , organic chemistry

We present new (2004 July) G750L and G140L Space Telescope ImagingSpectrograph (STIS) data of the H-alpha and Ly-alpha emission from supernovaremnant (SNR) 1987A. With the aid of earlier data, from Oct 1997 to Oct 2002,we track the local evolution of Ly-alpha emission and both the local and globalevolution of H-alpha emission. In addition to emission which we can clearlyattribute to the surface of the reverse shock, we also measure comparableemission, in both H-alpha and Ly-alpha, which appears to emerge from supernovadebris interior to the surface. New observations taken through slits positionedslightly eastward and westward of a central slit show a departure fromcylindrical symmetry in the H-alpha surface emission. Using a combination ofold and new observations, we construct a light curve of the total H-alpha flux,F, from the reverse shock, which has increased by a factor ~ 4 over about 8years. However, due to large systematic uncertainties, we are unable to discernbetween the two limiting behaviours of the flux - F ~ t (self-similarexpansion) and F ~ t^5 (halting of the reverse shock). Such a determination isrelevant to the question of whether the reverse shock emission will vanish inless than about 7 years (Smith et al. 2005). Future deep, low- ormoderate-resolution spectra are essential for accomplishing this task.Comment: 28 pages, 12 figures. Accepted by Ap

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