On understanding the lives of dead stars : Supernova Remnant N103B, radio pulsar B1951+32, and the Rabbit

Using the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer, we observed the young Supernova Remnant N103B in the Large Magellanic Cloud as part of the Guaranteed Time Observation program. N103B has a small overall extent and shows substructure on arcsecond spatial scales. The spectrum, based on 116ks of data, reveals unambiguous Mg, Ne, and O emission lines. Due to the elemental abundances, we are able to tentatively reject suggestions that N103B arose from a Type Ia supernova, in favor of the massive progenitor, core-collapse hypothesis indicated by earlier radio and optical studies, and by some recent X-ray results. We present our latest two-temperature shock and two-dimensional spatial-spectral modeling of the remnant. If the massive progenitor conclusion holds true, it would significantly changes previous conceptions of the young SNR population in the LMC.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2003

Author dc:creator

• Migliazzo, Joshua Marc, 1977-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Claude R. Canizares.

• Physics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/58659

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/58659