Thomas H. Markert

The Chandra High-Energy Transmission Grating: Design, Fabrication, Ground Calibration, and 5 Years in Flight

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (Contract NAS8-38249)

ASCA observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud supernova remnant sample: Typing supernovae from their remnants

We present our first results from a study of the supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using data from ASCA. The three remnants we have analyzed to date, 0509-67.5, 0519-69.0, and N103B, are among the smallest, and presumably also the youngest, in the Cloud. The X-ray spectra of these SNRs show strong K alpha emission lines of silicon, sulfur, argon, and calcium with no evidence for corresponding lines of oxygen, neon, or magnesium. The dominant feature in the spectra is a broad blend of emission lines around 1 keV which we attribute to L-shell emission lines of iron. Model calculations (Nomoto, Thielemann, & Yokoi 1984) show that the major products of nucleosynthesis in Type Ia supernovae (SNs) are the elements from silicon to iron, as observed here. The calculated nucleosynthetic yields from Type Ib and II SNs are shown to be qualitatively inconsistent with the data. We conclude that the SNs which produced these remnants were of Type Ia. This finding also confirms earlier suggestions that the class of Balmer-dominated remnants arise from Type Ia SN explosions. Based on these early results from the LMC SNR sample, we find that roughly one-half of the SNRs produced in the LMC within the last approximately 1500 yr came from Type Ia SNs.

Observations of the highly variable x-ray source GX 339-4

Observations with the MIT experiment on the OSO-7 have led to the discovery of an X-ray source, GX 339-4, which varies in intensity by at least a factor of 60 over hundreds of days but shows no evidence of periodic behavior or abrupt intensity changes on time scales from 3 minutes to 13 days. The observations show intense high states, low states with spectra consistent with increased absorption, and off states, when no statistically significant signal is observed. The behavior is unlike that of any previously reported X-ray source.

CHANDRA HIGH-RESOLUTION X-RAY SPECTRUM OF SUPERNOVA REMNANT 1E 0102.2-7219

Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer observations of the supernova remnant (SNR) 1E 0102.2-7219 in the Small Magellanic Cloud reveal a spectrum dominated by X-ray emission lines from hydrogen-like and helium-like ions of oxygen, neon, magnesium, and silicon, with little iron. The dispersed spectrum shows a series of monochromatic images of the source in the light of individual spectral lines. Detailed examination of these dispersed images reveals Doppler shifts within the SNR, indicating bulk matter velocities on the order of 1000 km s-1. These bulk velocities suggest an expanding ringlike structure with additional substructure, inclined to the line of sight. A two-dimensional spatial/velocity map of the SNR shows a striking spatial separation of redshifted and blueshifted regions and indicates a need for further investigation before an adequate three-dimensional model can be found. The radii of the ringlike images of the dispersed spectrum vary with ionization stage, supporting an interpretation of progressive ionization due to passage of the reverse shock through the ejecta. Plasma diagnostics with individual emission lines of oxygen are consistent with an ionizing plasma in the low-density limit and provide temperature and ionization constraints on the plasma. Assuming a pure metal plasma, the mass of oxygen is estimated at ~6 M☉, consistent with a massive progenitor.

The MIT/OSO 7 catalog of X-ray sources - Intensities, spectra, and long-term variability

This paper is a summary of the observations of the cosmic X-ray sky performed by the MIT 1--40 KeV X-ray detectors on the OSO 7 between 1971 October and 1973 May. Specifically, we have computed the mean intensities or upper limits of all third Uhuru or OSO 7 cataloged sources (185 sources) in the 3--10 KeV range. For those sources for which a statistically significant (>20) intensity was found in the 3--10 KeV band (138 sources), further intensity determinations were made in the 1--15 KeV, 1--6 KeV, and 15--40 KeV energy bands. We have provided graphs and other simple techniques to aid the user in converting the observed counting rates to convenient units and in determining spectral parameters. Finally, we have plotted long-term light curves (counting rates in one or more energy bands as a function of time) for 86 of the brighter sources.

Discovery of a 7.68 second X-ray periodicity in 3U 1626-67

SAS-3 observations of the X-ray source 3U 1626-67 have revealed the presence of a stable 7.68-sec pulse period. This source was selected for study because of its hard X-ray spectrum. The compilation of source spectra used in the selection process is also presented. Pulse arrival times are analyzed for effects of possible binary orbital motion. Upper limits to the projected orbital radius are obtained which tend to exclude orbital periods in the range from about 0.5 to 35 days. Binary systems with either a very long orbit (at least 175 days) or a very short orbit (no more than about 0.3 day) are most probable

X-ray line emission from the Puppis A supernova remnant - Oxygen lines

Six prominent X-ray emission lines of O VII and O VIII have been detected from a portion of the Puppis A supernova remnant in observations with the Einstein Observatory Focal Plane Crystal Spectrometer. The lines are sufficiently well resolved to serve as diagnostics of the emitting plasma. From the relative intensities of the lines, it is inferred that the population of O VIII is about 1.5 times that of O VII, and that electron collisions are the dominant excitation mechanism in the plasma. A locus of allowed electron temperatures and interstellar-absorption column densities is derived: 1.5 x 10 to the 6th K, and (2-6) x 10 to the 21st per sq cm. The data are consistent with either a thin plasma source in equilibrium at a temperature of 2.2 x 10 to the 6th K with a column density of 4 x 10 to the 21st per sq cm, or with a nonequilibrium source in which the electrons have been shock-heated to a higher temperature and oxygen is underionized.

A survey of X-ray line emission from the supernova remnant Puppis A

Initial results from the first high-resolution study of the X-ray spectrum of a supernova remnant are reported. The spectrum of Puppis A between 500 and 1100 eV has been surveyed with the Focal Plane Crystal Spectrometer on the Einstein Observatory and the flux in eight lines and three line blends from various transitions of highly ionized nitrogen, oxygen, neon, and iron has been measured. The spectrum resembles that of active regions in the solar corona, but the neon lines seem enhanced relative to the oxygen lines, and both are enhanced relative to iron. The observed line strengths serve as diagnostics of the physical conditions in the emitting material. Without a priori assumptions, the ionization temperatures of O (2.2 million K) and Ne (4 million K) and the dominant ionization stage of Fe (Fe XVII) are deduced. Isothermal equilibrium plasmas or homogeneous nonequilibrium plasmas as descriptions of the source are ruled out. It is concluded that Puppis A must contain plasma over a temperature range 2-million to 5-million K with an intervening absorption column of 4 x 10 to the 21st/sq cm.

Observations of galactic X-ray sources by OSO-7

We present the MIT data from the OSO-7 satellite for observations of the galactic plane between 1971 and 1974. A number of sources discovered in the MIT all-sky survey are described in detail: MX 0049 + 59, MX 0836 - 42, MX 1353 - 64, MX 1406 - 61, MX 1418 - 61, MX 1709 - 40, and MX 1608 - 52 (the persistent source suggested to be associated with the X-ray burst source XB 1608 - 52). Upper limits to the X-ray emission from a number of interesting objects are also derived. General results describing all of our observations of galactic sources are presented. Specifically, we display the number-intensity diagrams, luminosity functions, and color-color diagrams for all of the sources we detected. The data are divided between disk and bulge populations, and the characteristics of the two groups are contrasted. Finally, the concept of X-ray source populations and the relationship of globular cluster sources and burst sources to the disk and bulge populations are discussed.

High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of the supernova remnant N132D

A joint nonequilibrium ionization analysis of spectral data from the Einstein Observatory of the SNR N132D in the LMC is presented on the basis of data from the Focal Plane Crystal Spectrometer (FPCS) and the Solid State Spectrometer (SSS), and lower spectral resolution data from the IPC and the Monitor Proportional Counter (MPC). The FPCS detected individual emission lines of O VII, O VIII, Ne IX, Ne X, Fe XVII, and possibly Fe XX. Measured line widths for the oxygen lines suggest Doppler broadening that is roughly consistent with optically measured expansion velocities of 2250 km/s. At the SSS/IPC temperature, FPCS flux ratios constrain the O/Fe abundance to be at least 1.9 times its solar value and the O/Ne abundance to be 0.2-1.0 times its solar value. Models for remnants with progenitor masses of 20 and 25 solar masses are completely consistent with the data, while remnants with progenitor masses of 13 and 15 solar masses can be made consistent if the progenitors are required to eject a large fraction of their iron cores.