Supernova Remnants Research Articles

Investigating the Role of Pre-supernova Massive Stars in the Acceleration of Galactic Cosmic Rays

Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) constitute a significant part of the energy budget of our Galaxy, and the study of their accelerators is of high importance in modern astrophysics. Their main sources are likely supernova remnants (SNRs). These objects are capable to convert a part of their mechanical energy into accelerated charged particles. However, even though the mechanical energy reservoir of SNRs is promising, a conversion rate into particle energy of 10 to 20% is necessary to feed the population of GCRs. Such an efficiency is however not guaranteed. Complementary sources deserve thus to be investigated. This communication aims to address the question of the contribution to the acceleration of GCRs by pre-supernova massive stars in binary or higher multiplicity systems.

Fast as Potoroo: Radio continuum detection of a bow-shock pulsar wind nebula powered by pulsar J1638–4713

Abstract We report the discovery of a bow-shock pulsar wind nebula (PWN), named Potoroo, and the detection of a young pulsar J1638 $-$ 4713 that powers the nebula. We present a radio continuum study of the PWN based on 20-cm observations obtained from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and MeerKAT. PSR J1638 $-$ 4713 was identified using Parkes radio telescope observations at frequencies above 3 GHz. The pulsar has the second-highest dispersion measure of all known radio pulsars (1 553 pc cm $^{-3}$ ), a spin period of 65.74 ms and a spin-down luminosity of $\dot{E}=6.1\times10^{36}$ erg s $^{-1}$ . The PWN has a cometary morphology and one of the greatest projected lengths among all the observed pulsar radio tails, measuring over 21 pc for an assumed distance of 10 kpc. The remarkably long tail and atypically steep radio spectral index are attributed to the interplay of a supernova reverse shock and the PWN. The originating supernova remnant is not known so far. We estimated the pulsar kick velocity to be in the range of 1 000–2 000 km s $^{-1}$ for ages between 23 and 10 kyr. The X-ray counterpart found in Chandra data, CXOU J163802.6 $-$ 471358, shows the same tail morphology as the radio source but is shorter by a factor of 10. The peak of the X-ray emission is offset from the peak of the radio total intensity (Stokes $\rm I$ ) emission by approximately 4.7 $^{\prime\prime}$ , but coincides well with circularly polarised (Stokes $\rm V$ ) emission. No infrared counterpart was found.

HESS J1809-193: Gamma-Ray Emission by Cosmic Rays from a Past Explosion

The very-high-energy γ-ray source HESS J1809-193 has been detected by the LHAASO and HAWC observatory beyond 100 TeV energy. It is an interesting candidate for exploring the underlying mechanisms of γ-ray production due to the presence of supernova remnants, pulsars, and molecular clouds close to it. We have considered the injection of the energetic cosmic rays from a past explosion, whose reminiscent may be SNR G011.0-00.0, which is located within the extended γ-ray source HESS J1809-193. We explain the multiwavelength data from the region of HESS J1809-193 with synchrotron, inverse Compton, and bremsstrahlung emission of cosmic-ray electrons and secondary γ-ray production in interactions of cosmic-ray protons with the cold protons in the local molecular clouds within a time-dependent framework including the diffusion loss of cosmic rays. The observational data have been modeled with the secondary photons produced by the time-evolved cosmic-ray spectrum assuming the age of the explosion is 4500 yr.

Probing Shocked Ejecta in SN 1987A: A Novel Diagnostic Approach Using XRISM-Resolve

Supernova (SN) 1987A is one of the best candidates to exploit the capabilities of the freshly launched XRISM satellite. This celestial object offers the unique opportunity to study the evolution of an SN into a young supernova remnant. To date, the X-ray emission has been dominated by the shocked circumstellar medium, with no shocked ejecta firmly detected. However, recent studies provide compelling evidence that in the forthcoming years, the X-ray emission from SN 1987A will increasingly stem from the ejecta. Our aim is to assess the proficiency of the XRISM-Resolve high-resolution spectrometer in pinpointing signatures of the shocked ejecta in SN 1987A. Taking advantage of a self-consistent state-of-the-art magneto-hydrodynamic simulation that describes the evolution from SN 1987A to its remnant, we synthesized the XRISM-Resolve spectrum of SN 1987A, as it would be collected in the allocated observation during the performance verification phase, which is foreseen for 2024. Our predictions clearly show the leading role of shocked ejecta in shaping the profile of the emission lines. The Doppler broadening associated with the bulk motion along the line of sight of the rapidly expanding ejecta is shown to increase the line widths well above the values observed so far. The quantitative comparison between our synthetic spectra and the XRISM spectra will enable us to establish a strong connection between the broadened line emission and the freshly shocked ejecta. This, in turn, will allow us to retrieve the ejecta dynamics and chemical composition from the X-ray emission.

HESS J1731-347 and the existence of exotic matter: Kaon condensation in neutron stars

The recent observation of a compact star with the lowest observable mass of 0.77+0.20 –0.17 M⊙ within the supernova remnant HESS J1731-347 has redefined our understanding for the dense nuclear matter equation of state and enhances the existence of exotic matter. In the present work, we investigate the possible existence of kaon condensation in hadronic neutron stars through the framework of the Momentum-Dependent Interaction nuclear model describing the dense nuclear matter. We concentrate on the strangeness content of the proton and its implications on both the microscopic and macroscopic properties of neutron stars. The aforementioned quantity is of interest as it is also directly related to the location of the phase transition to kaons. The simultaneous description of the compact object within the HESS J1731-347 and the maximum observable neutron star mass imposes severe constraints on the strangeness content of the proton and the critical density for kaon condensation. The present study along with observations of neutron stars, may help to provide tighter constraints on the equation of state of dense nuclear matter and, even more, to shed light to the existence of an exotic core in neutron stars.

Detectability of Fast Radio Burst Optical Counterparts with the Future Chinese Wide Field Telescopes

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are extra-galactic origin milli-second duration bright radio bursts. Theoretically, FRBs may produce optical counterparts with durations from milliseconds to hours. The FRB optical counterparts may be detectable in future large field telescopes, including the China Space Station Telescope (CSST), the 2.5-meter Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST) lead by the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO), and the Earth 2.0 (ET). The fast radio burst optical counterparts are grouped into millisecond time-scale optical counterparts, hourly time-scale optical counterparts, and optical afterglow for our study. The first two can be generated by the high-energy extension of the radio radiation of fast radio bursts and the inverse Compton scattering of high-energy electrons. The event rates highly depend on the optical-to-radio flux ratio ην. For millisecond duration optical counterparts, the detection rate of WFST, CSST, and ET can reach hundreds per year in an ideal case. If ην∼10−3, the corresponding annual detection rates of WFST and CSST are in the order of 1, and the annual detection rate of ET is 19.5. For the hourly timescale optical counterparts, ideally, the age of the supernova remnant is 5 years, ην is about 10−6, and the annual detection rates are above 100. The X-ray counterpart of FRB 200428 indicates that FRBs may produce relativistic outflow, which will interact with the interstellar medium to produce optical afterglows. Combined with the standard afterglow model, the detectability of optical afterglow is explored with a simulation of fast radio bursts following the redshift and energy distribution from the literature. With a total energy-radio energy ratio similar to FRB 200428, (ζ=105), the estimated annual detection rates of CSST, WFST, and ET are 1.3, 1.0, and 67, respectively.

Radio continuum study of the Large Magellanic Cloud supernova remnant Honeycomb Nebula

We present the first and deepest Australia Telescope Compact Array radio continuum images of the Honeycomb Nebula at 2000 and 5500MHz solely from archival data. The resolutions of these images are 3:6 x 2:8 arcsec2 and 1:3 x 1:2 arcsec2 at 2000 and 5500 MHz. We find an average radio spectral index for the remnant of -0:76?0:07. Polarisation maps at 5500MHz reveal an average fractional polarisation of 25 ? 5% with a maximum value of 95 ? 16. We estimate the equipartition field for Honeycomb Nebula of 48 ? 5 ?G, with an estimated minimum energy of Emin = 3 x 1049 erg. The estimated surface brightness, ?1 GHz, is 30 x 10-20Wm-2 Hz-1 sr-1; applying the ?-D relation suggests this supernova remnant is expanding into a low-density environment. Finally, using Hi data, we can support the idea that the Honeycomb Nebula exploded inside a low-density wind cavity. We suggest that this remnant is likely to be between late free expansion stage and early Sedov phase of evolution and expanding into a low-density medium.

X-ray Investigation of Supernova Remnant 3C 396 with XRISM/Resolve and Athena/X-IFU

Kompozit morfolojili süpernova kalıntıları (SNK), merkezinde bir pulsar rüzgâr bulutsusu (pulsar wind nebula, PWN) ve yıldızlararası ortamda (YAO) genişleyen bir kabuk (shell) yapısı ile tanımlanırlar. Bu tür SNK'ların X-ışın tayflarında süpernova patlamasıyla yıldızdan atılan maddeden (ejekta) kaynaklanan ısısal ışıma ile PWN'den gelen ısısal olmayan ışıma görülmektedir. Böylece, bu SNK'ların araştırılması; ejekta, SNK'ların evrimi ve YAO'nun yapısı hakkında önemli bilgiler sunmaktadır. 3C 396, merkezindeki PWN ve sahip olduğu kabuk nedeniyle kompozit türü SNK olarak sınıflandırılmaktadır. ASCA ve Suzaku X-ışın uydu verileri ile yapılan önceki çalışmalar, bu SNK'daki PWN'den tipik olmayan bir şekilde ısısal ve ısısal olmayan ışıma geldiğini göstermiştir. Yüksek tayfsal çözünürlüğe sahip XRISM/Resolve ve Athena/X-IFU X-ışın uyduları ile PWN-SNK arasındaki ilişkinin araştırılması mümkün olacaktır. Bu çalışmada, 3C 396’nın Resolve ve X-IFU tayfsal simülasyonları yapılmış olup elde edilen ilk sonuçlar sunulmuştur.

A Multiwavelength Investigation of PSR J2229+6114 and its Pulsar Wind Nebula in the Radio, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Bands

G106.3+2.7, commonly considered to be a composite supernova remnant (SNR), is characterized by a boomerang-shaped pulsar wind nebula (PWN) and two distinct (“head” and “tail”) regions in the radio band. A discovery of very-high-energy gamma-ray emission (E γ > 100 GeV) followed by the recent detection of ultrahigh-energy gamma-ray emission (E γ > 100 TeV) from the tail region suggests that G106.3+2.7 is a PeVatron candidate. We present a comprehensive multiwavelength study of the Boomerang PWN (100″ around PSR J2229+6114) using archival radio and Chandra data obtained two decades ago, a new NuSTAR X-ray observation from 2020, and upper limits on gamma-ray fluxes obtained by Fermi-LAT and VERITAS observatories. The NuSTAR observation allowed us to detect a 51.67 ms spin period from the pulsar PSR J2229+6114 and the PWN emission characterized by a power-law model with Γ = 1.52 ± 0.06 up to 20 keV. Contrary to the previous radio study by Kothes et al., we prefer a much lower PWN B-field (B ∼ 3 μG) and larger distance (d ∼ 8 kpc) based on (1) the nonvarying X-ray flux over the last two decades, (2) the energy-dependent X-ray size of the PWN resulting from synchrotron burn-off, and (3) the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution (SED) data. Our SED model suggests that the PWN is currently re-expanding after being compressed by the SNR reverse shock ∼1000 yr ago. In this case, the head region should be formed by GeV–TeV electrons injected earlier by the pulsar propagating into the low-density environment.

The High Energy X-ray Probe (HEX-P): supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, and nuclear astrophysics

HEX-P is a probe-class mission concept that will combine high spatial resolution X-ray imaging (<10″ full width at half maximum) and broad spectral coverage (0.2–80 keV) with an effective area far superior to current facilities (including XMM-Newton and NuSTAR) to enable revolutionary new insights into a variety of important astrophysical problems. HEX-P is ideally suited to address important problems in the physics and astrophysics of supernova remnants (SNRs) and pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). For shell SNRs, HEX-P can greatly improve our understanding via more accurate spectral characterization and localization of non-thermal X-ray emission from both non-thermal-dominated SNRs and those containing both thermal and non-thermal components, and can discover previously unknown non-thermal components in SNRs. Multi-epoch HEX-P observations of several young SNRs (e.g., Cas A and Tycho) are expected to detect year-scale variabilities of X-ray filaments and knots, thus enabling us to determine fundamental parameters related to diffusive shock acceleration, such as local magnetic field strengths and maximum electron energies. For PWNe, HEX-P will provide spatially-resolved, broadband X-ray spectral data separately from their pulsar emission, allowing us to study how particle acceleration, cooling, and propagation operate in different evolution stages of PWNe. HEX-P is also poised to make unique and significant contributions to nuclear astrophysics of Galactic radioactive sources by improving detections of, or limits on, 44Ti in the youngest SNRs and by potentially discovering rare nuclear lines as evidence of double neutron star mergers. Throughout the paper, we present simulations of each class of objects, demonstrating the power of both the imaging and spectral capabilities of HEX-P to advance our knowledge of SNRs, PWNe, and nuclear astrophysics.

Discovery of optical emission from the supernova remnant G108.2−0.6 and its atomic environment

ABSTRACT We report on the first detection of optical emission from the shell-type Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) G108.2−0.6. We obtained Hα images and long-slit spectra using the 1.5-m RTT150 telescope to examine the morphological and spectral characteristics of the SNR. We detected several filaments along its north and south regions, which is consistent with its SNR nature. The spectra exhibit [S ii]/Hα ratios in the range of 0.4–1.1, indicating emission from shock-heated gas. The oxygen doublet emission lines [O i] λλ6300, 6363 detected in the south region also support the indicator of the presence of shocks. We estimate the electron density using the [S ii] 6716/6731 ratio ranging from 15 to 1800 cm−3. The spectra show a relatively low shock velocity of Vs ∼ 80 km s−1 with the pre-shock cloud density of nc ∼18–57 cm−3. The Hα/Hβ ratios show significant variation across the observed regions with extinction E(B − V) ranging from 0.22 to 1.65. We also analysed the archival H i data and estimated the kinematic distance to G108.2−0.6 of ∼0.8 kpc and its dynamical age as ∼70 ± 10 kyr.

The Peculiar Ejecta Rings in the O-Rich Supernova Remnant Puppis A: Evidence of a Binary Interaction?

Near the center of the Puppis A supernova remnant a series of nested, optically emitting rings of high-velocity ejecta (known as “the Swirl”) were identified several decades ago by Winkler et al. To date, no follow-up observations of these rings have been published, and their physical origin has remained a mystery. We present results of integral field spectroscopy of the Swirl using the Wide Field Integral Spectrograph on the 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. The outermost ring exhibits a nitrogen-rich spectrum blueshifted to 1350 km s−1, with smaller blueshifted rings within the first exhibiting mostly oxygen-rich spectra moving at 1000 and 750 km s−1. The structures are connected by material of intermediate velocity and variable composition, including sulfur-rich material. The Swirl is turbulent and shock-excited, and contains as much as 0.5 M ⊙ of metal-rich material. The chemical composition and exclusively blueshifted radial velocities of the Swirl are consistent with progressively deeper nucleosynthetic layers in a massive progenitor star. We suggest the possibility that the Swirl marks a “funnel” carved into the supernova ejecta by a close, massive binary companion at the moment of explosion.

Point-symmetry in SNR G1.9+0.3: A Supernova that Destroyed its Planetary Nebula Progenitor

I analyze a new X-ray image of the youngest supernova remnant (SNR) in the Galaxy, which is the type Ia SNR G1.9+0.3, and reveal a very clear point-symmetrical structure. Since explosion models of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) do not form such morphologies, the point-symmetrical morphology must come from the circumstellar material (CSM) into which the ejecta expands. The large-scale point-symmetry that I identify and the known substantial deceleration of the ejecta of SNR G1.9+0.3 suggest a relatively massive CSM of ≳1M ⊙. I argue that the most likely explanation is the explosion of this SN Ia into a planetary nebula. The scenario that predicts a large fraction of SN Ia inside PNe (SNIPs) is the core degenerate scenario. Other SN Ia scenarios might lead to only a very small fraction of SNIPs or none at all.

The Jets and the Neutron Star Kick Velocity of the Supernova Remnant CTB 1

We identify jet-shaped morphology in the core-collapse supernova remnant (SNR) CTB 1 that includes two opposite structural features. We identify these as the imprints of a pair of jets that were among the last jets to explode the massive stellar progenitor of CTB 1. We find the projected angle between the jets’ axis and the direction of the pulsar velocity, which is the neutron star natal kick, to be α = 78°. We tentatively identify possible signatures of a second pair of opposite jets along a different direction. If this identification holds, SNR CTB 1 has a point-symmetric structure. The morphology and large angle of the jets’ axis to kick velocity are expected in the jittering jets explosion mechanism of core-collapse supernovae.

Supernova Remnants in the Irregular Galaxy NGC 4449

The nearby irregular galaxy NGC 4449 has a star formation rate of ∼0.4M ☉ yr−1 and should host of order 70 supernova remnants (SNRs) younger than 20,000 yr, a typical age for SNRs expanding into an interstellar medium (ISM) with a density of 1 cm−3 to reach the radiative phase. We have carried out an optical imaging and spectroscopic survey in an attempt to identify these SNRs. This task is challenging because diffuse gas with elevated ratios of [S ii]:Hα is omnipresent in NGC 4449, causing confusion when using this common diagnostic for SNRs. Using narrowband interference-filter images, we first identified 49 objects that have elevated [S ii]:Hα ratios compared to nearby H ii regions. Using Gemini-N and GMOS, we then obtained high-resolution spectra of 30 of these SNR candidates, 25 of which have [S ii]:Hα ratios greater than 0.5. Of these, 15 nebulae are almost certainly SNRs, based on a combination of characteristics: higher [O i]:Hα ratios and broader line widths than observed from H ii regions. The remainder are good candidates as well, but need additional confirmation. Surprisingly, despite having superior imaging and spectroscopic data sets to examine, we are unable to confirm most of the candidates suggested by Leonidaki et al. While NGC 4449 is likely an extreme case because of the high surface brightness and elevated [S ii]:Hα ratio of diffuse gas, it highlights the need for sensitive high-resolution optical spectroscopy, or high spatial resolution radio or X-ray observations that can ensure accurate SNR identifications in external galaxies.

Two-photon Production in Low-velocity Shocks

The Galactic interstellar medium abounds in shocks with low velocities v s ≲ 70 km s−1. Some are descendants of higher velocity shocks, while others start off at low velocity (e.g., stellar bow shocks, intermediate velocity clouds, spiral density waves). Low-velocity shocks cool primarily via Lyα and two-photon continuum, augmented by optical recombination lines (e.g., Hα), forbidden lines of metals and free-bound emission, free–free emission. The dark far-ultraviolet (FUV) sky, aided by the fact that the two-photon continuum peaks at 1400 Å, makes the FUV band an ideal tracer of low-velocity shocks. GALEX FUV images reaffirm this expectation, discovering faint and large interstellar structure in old supernova remnants and thin arcs stretching across the sky. Interstellar bow shocks are expected from fast stars from the Galactic disk passing through the numerous gas clouds in the local interstellar medium within 15 pc of the Sun. Using the bests atomic data available to date, we present convenient fitting formulae for yields of Lyα, two-photon continuum, and Hα for pure hydrogen plasma in the temperature range of 104–105 K. The formulae presented here can be readily incorporated into time-dependent cooling models as well as collisional ionization equilibrium models.

A fresh perspective on the 3D dynamics of Tycho’s supernova remnant: Ejecta asymmetries in the X-ray band

Context. Even 450 yr after the explosion of the Type Ia SN 1572, the dynamics of the Tycho supernova remnant (Tycho’s SNR) can offer keys to improving our understanding of the explosion mechanism and the interaction of the remnant with the interstellar medium. Aims. To probe the asymmetries and the evolution of the SNR, we tracked the ejecta dynamics using new methods applied to the deep X-ray observations available in the Chandra space telescope archive. Methods. For the line-of-sight (LoS) velocity measurement (Vz), we used the Doppler effect focused on the bright Si line in the 1.6-2.1 keV band. Using the component separation tool called general morphological component analysis (GMCA), we successfully disentangled the red and blueshifted Si ejecta emission. This allowed us to reconstruct a map of the peak energy of the silicon line with a total coverage of the SNR at a 2″ resolution. We then obtained a proxy of the integrated velocity along the LoS. For the proper motions in the plane of the sky (Vxy), we developed a new method, called Poisson optical flow (POF), to measure the displacement of two-dimensional (2D) features between the observations of 2003 and 2009. The result is a field of around 1700 velocity vectors covering the entire SNR. Results. These exhaustive three-dimensional (3D) velocity measurements reveal the complex dynamics of Tycho’s SNR. Our study sheds light on a patchy Vz map, where most regions are dominated by the foreground or the background part of the shell. On a large scale, an asymmetry is seen, with the north being dominantly blueshifted and the south redshifted. The proper-motion vector field, Vxy, highlights different dynamics between the eastern and the western parts of the SNR. The eastern velocity field is more disturbed by external inhomogeneities and the south-east ejecta knot. In particular, a slow-down is observed in the north-east, which could be due to the interaction with higher densities, as seen in other wavelengths. The vector field is also used to backtrace the center of the explosion, which is then compared with potential stellar progenitors in the area. The latest Gaia DR3 parallax measurements exclude most stellar candidates based on their distances, leaving only stars B and E as possible candidates, at respective distances of 2.53−0.20+0.23 kpc and 3.52−1.0+2.0 kpc, which are consistent with the expected distance range of the SNR at 2.5–4 kpc.

Fermi-LAT Detection of the Supernova Remnant G312.4-0.4 in the Vicinity of 4FGL J1409.1-6121e

Gamma-ray emission provides constraints on the nonthermal radiation processes at play in astrophysical particle accelerators. This allows both the nature of accelerated particles and the maximum energy that they can reach to be determined. Notably, it remains an open question to what extent supernova remnants contribute to the sea of Galactic cosmic rays. In the Galactic plane, at around 312° of Galactic longitude, Fermi-LAT observations show an extended source (4FGL J1409.1−6121e) around five powerful pulsars. This source is described by one large disk of 0.°7 radius with a high significance of 45σ in the 4FGL-DR3 catalog. Using 14 yr of Fermi-LAT observations, we revisited this region with a detailed spectro-morphological analysis in order to disentangle its underlying structure. Three sources have been distinguished, including the supernova remnant G312.4−0.4 whose gamma-ray emission correlates well with the shell observed at radio energies. The hard spectrum detected by the LAT, extending up to 100 GeV without any sign of a cutoff, is well reproduced by a purely hadronic model.

G189.6+03.3: The first complete X-ray view provided by SRG/eROSITA

Context. G189.6+03.3 and IC443 are two examples of supernova remnants (SNRs) located in a region rich in gas and dust, and spatially close to the HII region S249. So far, the actual shape of IC443 is believed to be given by the past action of multiple supernova (SN) explosions, while a third unrelated SN might have originated G189.6+03.3. Aims. Although the IC443 nebula has been extensively observed in several bands, on the contrary, the nearby and much weaker SNR G189.6+03.3, discovered in 1994 with ROSAT, has received very little attention. Given the relatively large extent of this second remnant, the new dataset provided by the X-ray telescope eROSITA on board the Spectrum Roentgen Gamma mission provides a unique opportunity to characterize it more in detail. Methods. We provide a full spectral characterization of G189.6+03.3 emission for the first time, together with new images covering the whole remnant. As one of the leading hypotheses is that its emission partially overlaps with the emission from IC443, we test this scenario by dividing the remnant into several regions from which we extracted the spectra. Results. The new X-ray images provided by eROSITA show an elongated structure. Together with the detection of supersolar abundances of O, Mg, Ne, and Si and a subsolar abundance of Fe, these features could be an indication of a faint SN explosion. The X-ray spectra also highlight the presence of a 0.7 keV plasma component across all of the regions, together with an almost uniform column density. Conclusions. The ubiquitous presence of the 0.7 keV plasma component is a strong indication that G189.6+03.3 completely overlaps with IC443. We propose that the progenitors of G189.6+03.3 and IC443 could have been expelled from the same binary or multiple system, and this originated two explosions at different times and in different positions.

Observations of Multiphase, High-velocity, Shocked Gas in the Vela Supernova Remnant* *Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, obtained from the MAST data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. Based in part on

We present an analysis of high-resolution far-UV archival spectra obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope of the star HD 75309, which probes high-velocity shocked gas in the Vela supernova remnant (SNR). We examine high-velocity features from intrinsically strong absorption lines of O i, Si ii, Si ii*, C ii, C ii*, and Si iii. We also detect high-velocity components in the N v doublet and compare these features to observations of high-velocity O vi absorption, available from archival Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer data. Kinetic temperatures are derived from the observed fractional abundances of the various ions, while gas densities and thermal pressures are obtained from the relative populations in excited fine-structure levels of C ii and Si ii. Our results indicate that the highly ionized species at high velocity probe gas in a region immediately behind a shock driven into an interstellar cloud, while the lower-ionization species trace material further downstream in the cooling region of the postshock flow. Low-velocity N v and O vi absorption may trace gas in a conductive boundary layer between the unshocked portion of the cloud and the hot X-ray-emitting intercloud medium. Temporal variations in high-velocity Ca ii absorption features observed toward HD 75309 further confirm the highly inhomogeneous nature of the interstellar medium interacting with the Vela SNR.