To determine types of supernova events by examining Chandra X-Ray Observatory images of supernova remnants (SNR’s) and identifying the elements in their energy spectra.
Prerequisites: Read Chapter 17 of textbook.
Time Required: approximately 2-3 hours
Credit: NASA/CXC/Rutgers/J.Warren & J.Hughes et al
In the year 1572, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe observed and studied the sudden appearance of a bright “new star” in the direction of the constellation Cassiopeia. Now known as Tycho’s supernova remnant, the event created a sensation in Tycho’s time because until then stars were thought to be unchanging. Tycho’s observations of this event marked the beginning of the study of astronomy as a science. This object is a Type Ia event.
The Type II core collapse of a massive star that produced this supernova remnant ~1600 years ago is located in the direction of the constellation Centaurus. SNR G292.0+1.8 is interesting because it is one of only three oxygen-rich remnants and one of the primary sources of the heavy elements necessary to form planets and people. Although considered a “textbook” case of a supernova remnant, the intricate structure shown here reveals a few surprises.
Tycho’s Supernova Remnant (Type Ia) and SNR G292.0+1.8 (Type II) are representative of the two supernova types. Follow the procedure below to analyze their spectra and determine the elements present in the remnants and their relative abundances.
(d in cm)/(scale in cm/KeV) + 1 KeV
Repeat steps #1-5 for Figure 2 from the downloaded and printed X-Ray Spectroscopy worksheet, the X-Ray spectrum of SNR G292.0+1.8.
Data:
Tycho’s SNR (Type Ia)
Scale: Distance from 1 KeV to 2 KeV 1 Kev = ________ cm
Data Table 1
# of
emission line
distance
from 1 KeV
(cm)
Energy of
emission line
(KeV)
chemical symbol
of element
——–
SNR G292.0+1.8 SNR (Type II)
Scale: Distance from 1 KeV to 2 KeV 1 Kev = ________ cm
Data Table 2
# of
emission line
distance
from 1 KeV
(cm)
Energy of
emission line
(KeV)
chemical symbol
of element
———
Table 1. Energies of X-ray Emission Lines
element
Energy (Kev)
element
Energy (Kev)
element
Energy (Kev)
O
0.18
Mg
1.33
Ar
3.32
Mg
0.25
Mg
1.45
Ca
3.69
Mg
0.27
Fe
1.66
Ca
3.86
O
0.64
Si
1.87
Ca
3.89
O
0.66
Si
1.98
Ca
4.11
Fe
0.80
Si
2.14
Fe
4.95
Fe
0.81
S
2.42
Fe
6.47
Ne
0.92
S
2.44
Fe
6.54
Ne
0.93
S
2.63
Fe
6.87
Ne
1.02
Ar
3.10
Fe
7.80
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