Credit: F. J. Lu et al., 2002, Astrophysical Journal, 568, L49-L52
SNR G54.1+0.3: a Close Cousin of the Crab
The image above is a false-color X-ray image of supernova remnant G54.1+0.3
taken by the Chandra X-ray
Observatory.In this high resolution X-ray image SNR G54.1+0.3 is shown
to possess X-ray characteristics which are amazingly similar to those of
the Crab
Nebula and the Vela
supernova remnant. The inset shows a schematic of the structure in the
center of the supernova remnant. The bright point-like source at the
center represents the putative neutron star (the collapsed core of the
progenitor star that exploded); the neutron star powers the remnant through
a wind of particles traveling at nearly the speed of light. At the radius
where the wind pressure balances the pressure of the ambient material, a
terminal shock forms, and the particles begin to emit X-rays. The ring and
jet-like eastern and western "elongations" show the location
of the terminal shock, and indicate that the wind is concentrated in the
equatorial plane and polar directions. Low surface brightness emission in
the outer region marks the accumulated pulsar wind material. As in the Crab
Nebula, there is no evidence for an outer shell of hot material that would
correspond to the shocked interstellar medium. The absence this outer shell
is probably due to a low density bubble created by the progenitor star
prior to the supernova explosion.
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Page Author: Dr. Michael F.
Corcoran
Last modified April 22, 2002
