A Suzaku observation of the low-ionization fe-line emission from RCW 86

Masaru Ueno*, Rie Sato, Jun Kataoka, Aya Bamba, Ilana Harrus, Junko Hiraga, John P. Hughes, Caroline A. Kilbourne, Katsuji Koyama, Motohide Kokubun, Hiroshi Nakajima, Masanobu Ozaki, Robert Petre, Tadayuki Takahashi, Takaaki Tanaka, Hiroshi Tomida, Hiroya Yamaguchi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The newly operational X-ray satellite Suzaku observed the southwestern quadrant of the supernova remnant RCW 86 in 2006 February to study the nature of the 6.4 keV emission line first detected with the Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astronomy (ASCA). The new data confirm the existence of the line, localizing it for the first time; most of the line emission is adjacent and interior to the forward shock, and not at the locus of the continuum hard emission. We also report the first detection of a 7.1 keV line, which we interpret as Kβ emission from low-ionization iron. The Fe K line features are consistent with a non-equilibrium plasma of Fe-rich ejecta with n e t ≲ 109cm-3 s and kTe - 5keV. This combination of low net and high kTe suggests collisionless electron heating in an SNR shock. The Fe Kα line shows evidence for intrinsic broadening, with a width of 47 (34-59) eV (99% error region). The difference in the spatial distributions of the hard continuum above 3 keV and the Fe K line emission supports a synchrotron origin for the hard continuum.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S171-S176
JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
Volume59
Issue number1 SPEC. ISS.
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • ISM: individual (RCW 86)
  • ISM: supernova remnants
  • Shock waves
  • X-rays: ISM

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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