6533b85ffe1ef96bd12c1d5f
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Physical and Chemical Inhomogeneities Inside the Vela SNR Shell: Indications of Ejecta Shrapnels
Marco MiceliFabrizio BocchinoFabio RealeFabio Realesubject
PhysicsAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaSpatially resolvedAstrophysics (astro-ph)Shell (structure)FOS: Physical sciencesAstronomy and AstrophysicsScale (descriptive set theory)AstrophysicsPlasmaAstrophysicsSpatial distributionVelaSpace and Planetary ScienceEjectaEquivalent widthAstrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysicsdescription
We present the results of the combined analysis of three XMM-Newton EPIC observations of the northern rim of the Vela SNR. The three pointings cover an area of ~10 pc^2 (at 250 pc) behind the main shock front and we aim at studying with high resolution the spatial distribution of the physical and chemical properties of the X-ray emitting plasma on this large scale. We produce count-rate images and equivalent width maps of the Ne IX and Mg XI emission blends. We also perform a spatially resolved spectral analysis of a set of physically homogeneous regions. We reveal physical and chemical inhomogeneities in the X-ray emitting plasma. In particular, we find large variations of the O, Ne, Mg, and Fe abundances. In some bright knots we also find unexpectedly enhanced Ne and Mg abundances, with values significantly larger than solar. Our results support a possible association of a few X-ray emitting knots with previously undetected residuals of stellar fragments (i. e. shrapnels) observed, in projection, inside the Vela shell.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-12-18 | The Astrophysical Journal |