High-resolution mid-infrared spectra of CO II, NI I, and Fe II in SN 1987A

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (11) References (56) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS High-Resolution Mid-Infrared Spectra of CO ii, NI i, and Fe II in SN 1987A Jennings, D. E. ; Boyle, R. J. ; Wiedemann, G. R. ; Moseley, S. H. Abstract Ground-based infrared observations of SN 1987A on day 612 after the explosion have yielded resolved line profiles of Co II, Ni I, Fe II at 10.52, 11.31, and 17.94 microns, respectively. The spectra were taken at a resolving power of ~1000 with an array grating spectrometer on the 4 m telescope of Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. Based on the observed line intensities we have estimated the minimum mass of each ion: M_Co II_ = (6.0+/-1.8)x 10^-5^ M_sun_; M_Ni I_ = (1.1+/-0.1)X 10^-3^ M_sun_; and M_Fe II_ = (8.0+/-1.5)X 10^-3^ M_sun_. From these we infer total masses for cobalt, nickel, and iron in the ejecta. The nickel and iron line profiles are markedly asymmetric. We interpret these as arising from two components, one centered on the stellar rest velocity with a ~3250 km s^-1^ full width, and the second at ~+1200 km s^-1^ with a ~1100 km s^-1^ full width. The asymmetry may represent a large-scale fracturing of the ejecta by Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: May 1993 DOI: 10.1086/172586 Bibcode: 1993ApJ...408..277J Keywords: Infrared Astronomy; Infrared Spectra; Stellar Composition; Stellar Spectrophotometry; Supernova 1987a; Abundance; Cobalt; Iron; Nickel; Astrophysics full text sources ADS | data products NED (2) SIMBAD (1)