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Discovery of an unusual hard X-ray source in the region of supernova 1987A

Nature volume 330, pages 230–231 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

We have discovered a new hard X-ray source near supernova 1987 A, in the Large Magellanic Cloud, from the X-ray astronomy satellite Ginga. The present error box of 0.2° × 0.3° includes the supernova. The energy spectrum is very hard above 10 keV and unusual for any of the known classes of X-ray source. The flux in the range 10–30 keV as of 2–3 September is ˜5×10–11ergcm–2 s–1. The source intensity increased steadily throughout July, August and early September, but an observation in late September revealed no further increase. The positional agreement, a steady brightening and an unusual hard spectrum support the identification of the source as SN1987A.

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References

  1. 1. Makino, F. et al Astrophys. Lett. 25, 223 (1987). 2. Shelton, I (reported by Kunkel, W. & Madore, B.) IAU Circ. No. 4316 (1987). 3. Jones, A. & Nelson (reported by Bateson, F. M.) IAU Circ. No. 4316 (1987). 4. Makino, F. IAU Circ. No. 4447 (1987). 5. Long, K. S, Helfand, D. J. & Grabelsky, D. A. Astrophys. J. 248, 925 (1981). 6. Sunyaev, R. et al. Nature 330, 227-229 (1987).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    T. Dotani, K. Hayashida, H. Inoue, M. Itoh, K. Koyama, F. Makino, K. Mitsuda, T. Murakami, M. Oda, Y. Ogawara, S. Takano, Y. Tanaka & A. Yoshida

  2. Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    K. Makishima & T. Ohashi

  3. Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Wako, Saitama, Japan

    N. Kawai & M. Matsuoka

  4. Department of Physics, Rikkyo University, Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    R. Hoshi

  5. Department of Astrophysics, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan

    S. Hayakawa, T. Kii, H. Kunieda, F. Nagase & Y. Tawara

  6. Department of Physics, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan

    I. Hatsukade, S. Kitamoto, S. Miyamoto, H. Tsunemi & K. Yamashita

  7. Department of Physics, Osaka City University, Sugimoto-cho, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Japan

    M. Nakagawa & M. Yamauchi

  8. Department of Physics, University of Leicester, Leicester, LEI 7RH, UK

    M. J. L. Turner, K. A. Pounds, H. D. Thomas & G. C. Stewart

  9. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK

    A. M. Cruise, B. E. Patchett & D. H. Reading

Authors
  1. T. Dotani
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  2. K. Hayashida
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  3. H. Inoue
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  6. F. Makino
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  11. S. Takano
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  14. K. Makishima
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  15. T. Ohashi
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  16. N. Kawai
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  17. M. Matsuoka
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  18. R. Hoshi
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  19. S. Hayakawa
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  20. T. Kii
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  22. F. Nagase
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  25. S. Kitamoto
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  26. S. Miyamoto
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  27. H. Tsunemi
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  28. K. Yamashita
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  29. M. Nakagawa
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  30. M. Yamauchi
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  31. M. J. L. Turner
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  32. K. A. Pounds
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  33. H. D. Thomas
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  34. G. C. Stewart
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  35. A. M. Cruise
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  36. B. E. Patchett
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  37. D. H. Reading
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Dotani, T., Hayashida, K., Inoue, H. et al. Discovery of an unusual hard X-ray source in the region of supernova 1987A. Nature 330, 230–231 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/330230a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/330230a0

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