Abstract
A new hard-X-ray source has recently been discovered in the region of SN1987A by the X-ray astronomy satellite Ginga1. Several mechanisms are possible for X-ray emission from SN1987A. Non-thermal X-rays are expected from the Compton degradation of γ-rays from 56Co decays2–4 and the radiation of a pulsar left inside2,5. On the other hand, thermal X-rays are expected from the interaction of the expanding ejecta with circumstellar matter6–10. Here we show that the observed X-ray spectrum can be accounted for by a superposition of thermal X-rays and Compton degradation of γ-rays, and discuss some constraints on physical quantities related to the mass-loss history of the progenitor.
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References
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Masai, K., Hayakawa, S., Itoh, H. et al. Thermal X-ray emission from supernova 1987A. Nature 330, 235–236 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/330235a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/330235a0
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