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arXiv · 0711.3140

X-Ray Emitting Ejecta of Supernova Remnant N132D

Abstract

The brightest supernova remnant in the Magellanic Clouds, N132D, belongs to the rare class of oxygen-rich remnants, about a dozen objects that show optical emission from pure heavy-element ejecta. They originate in explosions of massive stars that produce large amounts of O, although only a tiny fraction of that O is found to emit at optical wavelengths. We report the detection of substantial amounts of O at X-ray wavelengths in a recent 100 ks Chandra ACIS observation of N132D. A comparison between subarcsecond-resolution Chandra and Hubble images reveals a good match between clumpy X-ray and optically emitting ejecta on large (but not small) scales. Ejecta spectra are dominated by strong lines of He- and H-like O; they exhibit substantial spatial variations partially caused by patchy absorption within the LMC. Because optical ejecta are concentrated in a 5 pc radius elliptical expanding shell, the detected ejecta X-ray emission also originates in this shell.

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Kazimierz J. Borkowski, Sean P. Hendrick, Stephen P. Reynolds. 2007-11-20. X-Ray Emitting Ejecta of Supernova Remnant N132D. https://doi.org/10.1086/524733

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