Supernova Remnant RX J1713 Research Articles

XMM-Newtonobservations of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7–3946 and its central source

We present new results coming from the observations of the supernova remnant (SNR) RX J1713.7--3946 (also G347.3--0.5) performed in five distinct pointings with the EPIC instrument on board the satellite XMM-Newton. RX J1713.7--3946 is a shell-type SNR dominated by synchrotron radiation in the X-rays. Its emission (emission measure and photon index) as well as the absorption along the line-of-sight has been characterized over the entire SNR. The X-ray mapping of the absorbing column density has revealed strong well constrained variations (0.4 10^22 cm^-2 < NH < 1.1 10^22 cm^-2) and, particularly, a strong absorption in the southwest. Moreover, there are several clues indicating that the shock front of RX J1713.7--3946 is impacting the clouds responsible for the absorption as revealed for instance by the positive correlation between X-ray absorption and X-ray brightness along the western rims. The CO and HI observations show that the inferred cumulative absorbing column densities are in excellent agreement with the X-ray findings in different places of the remnant on condition that the SNR lies at a distance of 1.3 +/- 0.4 kpc, probably in the Sagittarius galactic arm, instead of the commonly accepted value of 6 kpc. An excess in the CO emission is found in the southwest suggesting that the absorption is due to molecular clouds. A search for OH masers in the southwestern region has been unsuccessful, possibly due to the low density of the clouds. The X-ray mapping of the photon index has also revealed strong variations (1.8 < Gamma < 2.6). [See the article for the entire abstract]

XMM-Newton Observation of SNR RX J1713.7–3946

We present the first results of the observations of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7–3946 (also known as G347.3–0.5) obtained with the EPIC instrument on board the XMM-Newton satellite. We show a 5-pointings mosaiced image of the X-ray synchrotron emission. We characterize this emission by mapping its spectral parameters (absorbing column density NH and photon index γ). The synchrotron spectrum is flat at the shock and steep in the interior of the remnant. NH is well correlated with the X-ray brightness. A strong NH is found in the southwest rim of RX J1713.7–3946. We suggest that the SNR is interacting with a HI region there.

Fine-structure in the nonthermal X-ray emission of SNR RX J1713.7-3946 revealed by Chandra

We present morphological and spectroscopic studies of the northwest rim of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7−3946 based on observations by the Chandra X-ray observatory . We found a complex network of nonthermal (synchrotron) X-ray filaments, as well as a 'void' type struc ture - a dim region of a circular shape - in the northwest rim. It is remarkable that despite distinct brightness variations , the X-ray spectra everywhere in this region can be well fitte d with a power-law model with photon index ranging = 2.1-2.5. We briefly discuss some implications of these resul ts and argue that the resolved X-ray features in the northwest rim may challenge the perceptions of the standard diffusive shock-acceleration models concerning the production, propagation and radiation of relativistic particles in supernova remnants.

Flat Spectrum X-Ray Emission from the Direction of a Molecular Cloud Associated with SNR RX J1713.7–3946

Abstract We report on the discovery of a diffuse X-ray source with ASCA, presumably associated with a molecular cloud in the vicinity of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7$-$3946. The energy spectrum (1–10 keV) of the hard X-ray source shows a flat continuum, which is described by a power-law with a photon index of $ \Gamma = 1.0^{+0.4}_{-0.3}$. We argue that this unusually flat spectrum can be best interpreted in terms of characteristic bremsstrahlung emission from the loss-flattened distribution of either sub-relativistic protons or mildly relativistic electrons. The strong shock of RX J1713.7$-$3946, which is likely to interact with the molecular cloud, as evidenced by CO-line observations, seems to be a natural site of acceleration of such nonthermal particles. The observed luminosity of $ L_\mathrm{X} = 1.7 \times 10^{35} \,\mathrm{erg} \,\mathrm{s}^{-1}$ (for a distance of 6 kpc) seems to require a huge kinetic energy of about $ 10^{50} \,\mathrm{erg}$ in the form of nonthermal particles to illuminate the cloud. The shock-acceleration at RX J1713.7$-$3946 can barely satisfy this energetic requirement, unless (i) the source is located much closer than the preferred distance of 6 kpc and/or (ii) the mechanical energy of the supernova explosion essentially exceeds $ 10^{51} \,\mathrm{erg}$. Another possibility would be that an essential part of the lost energy due to the ionization and heating of gas, is somehow converted to plasma waves, which return this energy to nonthermal particles through their turbulent reacceleration on the plasma waves.

The X-Ray Sources at the Center of the Supernova Remnant RX J0852.0−4622

We present a BeppoSAX observation of the X-ray source AX J0851.9-4617.4. This source has been proposed as the neutron star that is associated with the shell-like supernova remnant RX J0852.0-4622. At E > 5 keV, the image shows the presence of a new source, SAX J0852.0-4615, that was not resolved from AX J0851.9-4617.4 in previous observations. The improved positional accuracy obtained for AX J0851.9-4617.4, along with its soft thermal spectrum (kT ~ 1.3 keV), confirms its possible identification with an early-type star. SAX J0852.0-4615, with its harder X-ray spectrum and higher X-ray-to-optical flux ratio, is a more likely candidate for the neutron star associated with the supernova remnant.