The structure of the IC443 supernova remnant complex derived from ROSAT and Ginga observations

Radio observations have shown that the emission from IC443 can be attributed to three, partially incomplete shells. The two smaller diameter shells are bright in X-rays, whereas the X-ray extent of the largest one has been discovered only recently in the ROSAT All-Sky-Survey. This new X-ray shell — G189.6+3.3 — is well explained by a separate old ( 10⁵yr) supernova remnant (SNR), in contrast to the IC443 proper SNR, the age of which has been estimated to 10³yr. Spatial structure of the X-ray absorption observed with ROSAT suggests that G189.6+3.3 is located in front of a molecular cloud while the two smaller subshells previously known as IC443 are behind it. This geometry is confirmed by the observation of an additional absorption ridge across IC443, which is produced by a shell of cool and dense matter associated with G189.6+3.3.     

XMM-Newton observation of Vela shrapnel D

The ROSAT all-sky survey discovered several ‘shrapnels’, showing boomerang structures outside the Vela SNR. We observed the shrapnel D in the eastern limb of the Vela SNR with the XMM-Newton satellite. There is an X-ray bright ridge structure in our FOV running from north to south. There is also an optical bright ridge structure running parallel to that in X-ray about 3′ in the east. These suggest that the shrapnel D is now interacting with an interstellar cloud. Applying the VNEI model to X-ray spectra of various regions, we find that the plasma state of the eastern region of the X-ray ridge is significantly different from that of the western region. The X-ray spectra in the western region can be well fitted with a single temperature component. Abundances of heavy elements are almost uniform, whereas they are heavily overabundant (except Fe): the relative abundances to the solar values are O ∼5, Ne ∼8, Mg ∼8, Fe ∼1. It must have originated from the ejecta of the SN. We find that the plasma in the eastern part of the ridge consists of two temperature components: one component (hot plasma) representing the ejecta while the other (cold plasma) represents the interstellar cloud or swept-up ISM. These two components must have contacted to each other, indicating to form a contact discontinuity. Around northern part of the contact discontinuity, we found wavelike structures of which the typical scales are comparable with that of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability.     

New insights into SNR evolution revealed by the discovery of recombining plasmas

We report the discovery of recombining plasmas in three supernova remnants (SNRs) with the Suzaku X-ray astronomy satellite. During SNR’s evolution, the expanding supernova ejecta and the ambient matter are compressed and heated by the reverse and forward shocks to form an X-ray emitting hot plasma. Since ionization proceeds slowly compared to shock heating, most young or middle-aged SNRs have ionizing (underionized) plasmas. Owing to high sensitivity of Suzaku, however, we have detected radiative recombination continua (RRCs) from the SNRs IC 443, W49B, and G359.1–0.5. The presence of the strong RRC is the definitive evidence that the plasma is recombining (overionized). As a possible origin of the overionization, an interaction between the ejecta and dense circumstellar matter is proposed; the highly ionized gas was made at the initial phase of the SNR evolution in dense regions, and subsequent rapid adiabatic expansion caused sudden cooling of the electrons. The analysis on the full X-ray band spectrum of IC 443, which is newly presented in this paper, provides a consistent picture with this scenario. We also comment on the implications from the fact that all the SNRs having recombining plasmas are correlated with the mixed-morphology class.     

XMM-Newton survey of non-thermal shell candidates: Preliminary results on DA 530

The investigation of the general properties of non-thermal (NT) X-ray shell supernova remnants (SNRs), of which SN 1006 is the prototype, is important to understand how electrons are accelerated in SNR shocks and what is the origin of cosmic rays. Using the XMM-Newton satellite, we are carrying on a survey of putative non-thermal SNR candidates previously unknown or little studied in the X-ray band, in order to investigate the different manifestations of NT emission in SNR shells. The SNRs we have selected are likely to expand in a low density medium, and therefore to have a low thermal X-ray emission, that usually outshines the non-thermal one. We report here preliminary results obtained on the SNR shell DA 530.     

New magnetic cataclysmic variables discovered in the ROSAT wide field camera all-sky survey

Seven new magnetic cataclysmic variables have been found amongst the EUV sources discovered in the ROSAT Wide Field Camera all-sky survey. Follow-up studies of these objects have now been made, yielding the orbital periods and classifications for all but one. Six objects are confirmed, or likely, polar systems, one is an intermediate polar. The properties of this new, EUV-selected sample are reviewed and compared with those of known polars and intermediate polars. The unusual features of the most interesting objects in the sample are briefly discussed.     

The ROSAT all-sky survey

The ROSAT (Röntgensatellit) X-ray astronomy satellite has completed the first all-sky X-ray and XUV survey with imaging telescopes. About 60,000 new X-ray and 400 new XUV /1/ sources were detected. This contribution will deal with preliminary results from the ROSAT ALL-SKY X-RAY SURVEY. The ROSAT diffuse and point-source X-ray skymaps, the positional accuracy obtained for the X-ray sources, and a few results from correlations performed with available catalogues in various energy bands like the Radio, Infrared, Visible, UV, and hard X-rays as well as identifications from optical follow-up observations are presented.     

Propagation of cosmic-ray electrons in the Galaxy

We formulate the global propagation model of cosmic-ray electrons including the source region, which is currently considered to be supernova remnants (SNRs). The model is characterized by the escape rate of electrons from SNRs into the interstellar space. It becomes clear that the energy index of the escape rate influences the high energy side of the interstellar spectrum and makes it possible to explain the observed data up to 2 TeV in the case of source spectral index smaller than 2.2 that is expected from the radio spectrum in SNRs. The escape lifetime of electrons in SNRs is also discussed by using the ratio of the radio flux in two regions: SNRs and the Galaxy. The result shows the mean lifetime in SNRs of ∼10⁴ yr around 1 GeV, which corresponds to the SNR age in the Sedov phase.     

Design and construction of the ROSAT 5 arcsec mirror assembly

The ROSAT mission, which is currently being prepared in W.-Germany, will perform the first soft X-ray all-sky survey by means of a large imaging X-ray telescope. Detailed calculations under the cost, volume and mass constraint of the satellite being a Shuttle payload have led to a design of the imaging optics with optimized geometry. The mirror system is of the Wolter type I configuration and includes four nested shells with a maximum aperture of 835 mm and a focal length of 2400 mm. The on-axis angular resolution of the mirror assembly has been specified to 5 arcsec with a scattering level as low as 3% for single reflection at 1.5 keV photon energy. Construction and technology studies have been completed by now and manufacturing of the first mirror shell has begun.     

The ROSAT mission

A primary scientific objective of the ROSAT mission is to perform the first all-sky survey with an imaging X-ray telescope leading to an improvement in sensitivity by several orders of magnitude compared with previous surveys. A large number of new sources (? 10⁵) will be discovered and located with an accuracy of 1 arcmin or better. These will comprise almost all astronomical objects from nearby normal stars to distant quasistellar objects. After completion of the survey which will take half a year the instrument will be used for detailed observations of selected sources with respect to spatial structure, spectra and time variability. In this mode which will be open for guest observers ROSAT will provide substantial improvement over the imaging instruments of the Einstein observatory.The main ROSAT telescope consists of a fourfold nested mirror system with 83 cm aperture having three focal plane instruments. Two of them will be imaging proportional counters (0.1 – 2 keV) providing a field of view of 2°, an angular resolution of ≈ 30″ in the pointing mode and a spectral resolution ^ΔE/E ≈ 45% FWHM at 1 keV. The third focal instrument will be a high resolution imager (≈ 3″). The main ROSAT telescope will be complemented by a parallel looking Wide Field camera which extend the spectral coverage into the XUV band.     

Einstein observations of supernova remnants

Recent observations of SNRs have produced X-ray images with resolution comparable to that routinely achieved at optical wavelengths. There has also been a great improvement in the quality of X-ray spectra. Since most of the energy radiated by SNRs appears as X-rays, these new data are crucial to studies of SNRs, the interaction of SNRs with the interstellar medium, and the SN explosion itself. Images show a variety of shapes ranging from shel-like remnants to those dominated by the influence of central objects which appear both as point sources and as centers of diffuse activity. Once the temperature and spatial distribution of X-ray emitting material is known, the mass of ejected material and the energy release of the SN explosion can sometimes be calculated. X-ray images and spectra of several remnants are shown, and some quantitative results are given.     

XMM-Newton observations of low luminosity Be/X-ray candidates

A small number of early Be stars exhibit X-ray luminosities intermediate between those typical of early type stars and those radiated by Be/X-ray binaries in the quiescent state. We report on XMM-Newton observations of two such Be stars, HD 161103 and SAO 49725 which were originally discovered in a systematic cross-correlation between the ROSAT all-sky survey and SIMBAD. The new observations confirm the X-ray luminosity detected by ROSAT (L_X  10³² erg s⁻¹) and the hardness of their X-ray spectra (thin thermal with kT  8–10 keV or power law with photon index of 1.7) which are both unusual for normal early type stars. We discuss the possible origin of this excess X-ray emission in the light of the models proposed for γ-Cas, magnetic disc-star interaction or accretion onto a compact companion object, neutron star or white dwarf, and compare the properties of these two sources with those of the new massive systems discovered in the XMM- Newton/SSC survey of the Galactic plane.     

A census of high-energy observations of Galactic supernova remnants

We present the first public database of high-energy observations of all known Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs). In Section 1 we introduce the rationale for this work motivated primarily by studying particle acceleration in SNRs, and which aims at bridging the already existing census of Galactic SNRs (primarily made at radio wavelengths) with the ever-growing but diverse observations of these objects at high-energies (in the X-ray and γ$\gamma$-ray regimes). In Section 2 we show how users can browse the database using a dedicated web front–end (http://www.physics.umanitoba.ca/snr/SNRcat). In Section 3 we give some basic statistics about the records we have collected so far, which provides a summary of our current view of Galactic SNRs. Finally, in Section 4, we discuss some possible extensions of this work. We believe that this catalogue will be useful to both observers and theorists, and timely with the synergy in radio/high-energy SNR studies as well as the upcoming new high-energy missions. A feedback form provided on the website will allow users to provide comments or input, thus helping us keep the database up-to-date with the latest observations.     

Radio continuum observations of the galactic supernova remnant Vela Z (G266.2-1.2)

We present multi frequency radio-continuum observations of Galactic SNR Vela Z (G266.2-1.2), associated with the prominent X-ray source RX J0852.0-4622 discovered in 1998. Our study of this Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) is based on low-resolution mosaic observations with the ATCA radio interferometer at 1384 and 2496 MHz, Parkes 4850 MHz and MOST 843 MHz survey data. We determine the radio spectral index for the most prominent features of this SNR and compare these features with X-ray observations. We note a sudden spectral turnover at higher then expected frequencies of ∼1384 MHz.     

An archival study of extended X-ray emission from classical and recurrent novae

I discuss morphology and spectrum of the first resolved and detected classical nova shell in the X-rays – the remnant of GK Persei (1901). The existence of such a nebulosity brings about the possibility of other nova remnants emitting X-rays. I calculate that the X-ray luminosity should be about 10²⁶–10³³ ergs s⁻¹ on the onset of cooling for nova remnants. I have done an archival search on 250 classical and recurrent nova candidates using Chandra, XMM-Newton, ROSAT and ASCA databases. There is no significant extended emission detected which places an upper limit of F_x < × 10⁻¹² erg s⁻¹ cm⁻² (unabsorbed). Only exceptions are GK Per, RR Pic and DQ Her (all observed by Chandra ACIS-S and GK Per also by ROSAT HRI) where the latter two show marginal extended emission in the X-rays associated with emission knots (DQ Her) or an equatorial ring (RR Pic).     

Oxygen line mapping of SN 1006 with Suzaku

SN 1006 is one of the supernova remnants (SNRs) with relatively low-temperature electrons, considering the young age of just 1000 years. We carried out SN 1006 mapping observations with the X-ray Imaging Spectrometers (XIS) and the Hard X-ray Detector (HXD) onboard Suzaku, the fifth Japanese X-ray satellite. Thanks to the excellent spectral resolution of XIS in the soft X-ray band, H-like and He-like oxygen emission lines were clearly detected, and we could make a map of the line intensity, and as well as a flux and the photon index of nonthermal component. We found that these parameters have spatial dependences from region to region in the SNR; the north region is bright in nonthermal, while dim in thermal; the east region is bright in both nonthermal and thermal; the inner region shows dim nonthermal and bright thermal emission. The photon index is the smallest in the north region.     

Evolution of magnetic fields and cosmic ray acceleration in supernova remnants

Observations show that the magnetic field in young supernova remnants (SNRs) is significantly stronger than can be expected from the compression of the circumstellar medium (CSM) by a factor of four expected for strong blast waves. Additionally, the polarization is mainly radial, which is also contrary to expectation from compression of the CSM magnetic field. Cosmic rays (CRs) may help to explain these two observed features. They can increase the compression ratio to factors well over those of regular strong shocks by adding a relativistic plasma component to the pressure, and by draining the shock of energy when CRs escape from the region. The higher compression ratio will also allow for the contact discontinuity, which is subject to the Rayleigh–Taylor (R–T) instability, to reach much further out to the forward shock. This could create a preferred radial polarization of the magnetic field. With an Adaptive Mesh Refinement MHD code (AMRVAC), we simulate the evolution of SNRs with three different configurations of the initial CSM magnetic field, and look at two different equations of state in order to look at the possible influence of a CR plasma component. The spectrum of CRs can be simulated using test particles, of which we also show some preliminary results that agree well with available analytical solutions.     

Gamma-ray astronomy and cosmic ray origin problem

We analyse the results of the nonlinear kinetic theory of cosmic ray (CR) acceleration in supernova remnants (SNRs) in order to describe their relevant properties: the remnant dynamics and the characteristics of nonthermal emission produced by CRs. It is shown that the theory fits the existing data in a satisfactory way and that the magnetic field in SNRs is significantly amplified due to efficient acceleration of the nuclear CR component. From the fact that magnetic field amplification occurs in all the young SNRs for which relevant data exist, and given the strong theoretical connection between magnetic field amplification and efficiently accelerating the nuclear CRs, we tentatively conclude that the Galactic SNRs are the source population of the Galactic CRs. Due to high interior magnetic fields in young SNRs the π⁰-decay γ-rays generated by the nuclear CR component as a rule dominate over γ-rays generated by the electron CR component, and the calculated γ-ray flux fits existing data.     

Cosmic ray acceleration by supernova shocks

We analyse the results of recent measurements of nonthermal emission from individual supernova remnants (SNRs) and their correspondence to the nonlinear kinetic theory of cosmic ray (CR) acceleration in SNRs. It is shown that the theory fits these data in a satisfactory way and provides the strong evidences for the efficient CR production in SNRs accompanied by significant magnetic field amplification. Magnetic field amplification leads to considerable increase of CR maximum energy so that the spectrum of CRs accelerated in SNRs is consistent with the requirements for the formation of Galactic CR spectrum up to the energy ∼10¹⁷ eV.     

Development and performance of a position sensitive proportion counter for the rosat project

A multiwire proportional counter capable of imaging soft X-rays has been constructed. The position of an incident photon is obtained by measuring the induced charge signals on two orthogonal sets of cathode wire grids. The anode signal is used as trigger and energy signal. At a photon energy of 0.94 keV the achieved position resolution is 300 μm (FWHM), and the energy resolution is 45% (FWHM). With a five sided anticoincidence the background rejection efficiency is 90–95%.A small version of the counter has successfully been flown twice on sounding rocket payloads. X-ray images of the supernova remnants Puppis A and Cassiopeia A have been taken. As the prime focal plane detector for the ROSAT project we are building a version with an aperture of 80 mm.