X-ray Luminosity of Decades-Old Supernovae [HEAP]

http://arxiv.org/abs/2108.09536


The transition from supernovae (SNe) to supernova remnants (SNRs) remains poorly understood, given the age gap between well-studied examples of the two. In order to bridge this gap, we analysed archival Chandra data for some of the oldest supernovae detected in X-rays, in order to extend their light curves out to late times. We fitted the spectra with thermal models. All the SNe with multiple X-ray data points were found to have similar X-ray luminosity, which was decreasing with time. The X-ray luminosity will likely continue to decrease while the SNe are evolving in a wind medium, but is anticipated to increase in the Sedov phase when the SNe are interacting with a constant density interstellar medium, bringing it in line with observed SNRs.

Read this paper on arXiv…

V. Ramakrishnan and V. Dwarkadas
Tue, 24 Aug 21
68/76

Comments: Published in RNAAS.3 pages, 1 figure. Part of Focus on AAS 238 issue