Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Supernovae and supernova remnants

  • Chapter
The Century of Space Science

Abstract

A supernova explosion is among the most dramatic events that can be seen. The term ‘supernova’ is somewhat misleading, as such an event represents not a new star (that is, a ‘nova’), but instead the end of a star’s life. Nuclear fusion, the energy source of the stars, creates heavier elements from lighter elements. In this way, almost all of the elements that make up the universe, with the exception of hydrogen and helium, are created inside a star through this process. These elements accumulate inside a star over its lifetime and are dispersed into space through a supernova explosion. We may therefore say that all of the material of the Earth (excepting hydrogen and helium) were probably created inside some star many eons ago, and that they were ejected by a supernova, soon to become the primordial material of the Earth. Nuclear fusion inside a star can generate heavy elements ranging from helium up to the most stable nucleus, iron. It may therefore be said that the iron that plays such a vital role in the hemoglobin of our blood must have been generated inside a massive star that soon went supernova. This must have happened at least five billion years ago, since this is the age of our solar system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • see http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/gif/CygnusLoop.gif

    Google Scholar 

  • Anders, E. and Grevesse, N. (1989). Abundances of the elements -meteoritic and solar. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 53, 197-214.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Aoki, T., Dotani, T. and Mitsuda, K. (1992). IAU Circ., 5588.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aschenbach, B., Egger, R. and Trümper, J. (1995). Discovery of Explosion Fragments Outside the VELA Supernova Remnant Shock-Wave Boundary. Nature, 373, 587.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Aschenbach, B. (1998). Discovery of a young nearby supernova remnant.Nature, 396, 141-142.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, R.H., Smith, B.W., White, N.E., Holt, S.S., Boldt, E.A.,Mushotzky, R.F. and Serlemitsos, P.J. (1979). X-ray spectrum of Cassiopeia A measured with the Einstein SSS. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 234, L73-L76.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, R.H., Smith, B.W., White, N.E., Mushotzky, R.F., Holt, S.S.,Boldt, E.A. and Serlemitsos, P.J. (1980). Elemental abundances in a Type I supernova remnant. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 235, L5-L8.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, R.H., White, N.E., Boldt, E.A., Holt, S.S. and Serlemitsos, P.J.(1980). X-ray spectrum of Kepler’s supernova remnant. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 237, L77-L79.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, R.H., Szymkowiak, A.E., Boldt, E.A., Holt, S.S. and Serlemitsos, P.J. (1980). Is the remnant of SN 1006 Crablike? Astrophysical Journal Letters, 240, L33-L35.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, J. (1997). In: N. Shibazaki, N. Kawai, S. Shibata and T. Kifune (eds),Neutron Stars and Pulsars. Universal Academy press inc., Tokyo,Japan, p. 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Decourchelle, A., Sauvageot, J.L., Audard, M., Aschenbach, B.,Sembay, S., Rothenflug, R., Ballet, J., Stadibauer, T. and West, R.G.(2001). XMM-Newton observation of the Tycho supernova remnant.Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters, 365, L218-224.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Dotani, T., Hayashida, K., Inoue, H., Itoh, M., Koyama, K., Makino, F., Mitsuda, K., Murakami, T., Oda, M., Ogawara, Y., Takano, S., Tanaka, Y., Yoshida, A., Makishima, K., Ohashi, T., Kawai, N., Matsuoka, M., Hoshi, R., Hayakawa, S., Kii, T., Kunieda, H., Nagase, F., Tawara, Y., Hatsukade, I., Kitamoto, K., Miyamoto, S., Tsunemi, H., Yamashita, K., Nakagawa, M., Yamauchi, M., Turner, M.J.L., Pounds, C.A., Thomas, HD, Stewart, G.M.C., Cruise, A.M., Patchett, B.E. and Reading, D.H. (1987). Discovery of an unusual hard X-ray source in the region of supernova 1987 A. Nature, 330, 230-231.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Favata, F., Vink, J., dal Fiume, D., Parmar, A.N., Santangelo, A., Mineo, T., Preite-Martinez, A., Kaastra, J.S. and Bleeker, J.A.M. (1997). The broad-band X-ray spectrum of the CAS A supernova remnant as seen by the BeppoSAX observatory. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 324, L49-L52.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Fujimoto, R., Tanaka, Y., In oue, H., Ishida, M., Itoh, M., Mitsuda, K., Sonobe, T., Tsunemi, H., Murakami, H., Koyama, K., Hayashi, I., Ikeda, K., Rasmussen, A., Ricker, G. and Becker, C.M. (1995). ASCA observation of the supernova remnant W49B. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 47, L31-L35.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaetz, T.J., Butt, Y.M., Edgar, R.J., Eriksen, K.A., Plucinsky, P.P., Schlegel, E.M. and Smith, R.K. (2000). Chandra X-Ray observatory arcsecond imaging of the young, oxygen-rich supernova remnant 1E0102.2-7219. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 534, L47-L50.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hatsukade, I., Tsunemi, H., Yamashita, K., Koyama, K., Asaoka, Y. and Asaoka, I. (1990). The X-ray spectrum of Kepler’s supernova remnant. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 42, 279-286.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hirata, K., Kajita, T., Koshiba, M., Nakahata, M., Oyama, Y., Sato, N., Suzuki, A., Takita, M., Totsuka, Y., Kifune, T., Suda, T., Takahashi, K., Tanimori, T., Miyano, K., Yamada, M., Beier, E.W., Feldscher, L.R., Kim, S.B., Mann, A.K., Newcomer, F.M., Van, R., Zhang, W. and Cortez, B.G. (1987). Observation of a neutrino burst from the supernova SN1987A. Physical Review Letters, 58, 1490-1493.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Holt, S.S., Gotthelf, E.V., Tsunemi, H. and Negoro, H. (1994). ASCA observations of Cassiopeia A. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 46, L151-L154.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, U. and Gotthelf, E.V. (1997). X-ray emission-line imaging and spectroscopy of Tycho’s supernova remnant. Astrophysical Journal, 475, 665-682.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, U., Holt, S.S. and Petre, R. (2000). Mapping the X-ray-emitting ejecta in Cassiopeia A with Chandra. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 537, L119-L123.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue, H., Koyama, K., Matsuoka, M., Ohashi, T., Tanaka, Y. and Tsunemi, H. (1980). Emission line features in the soft X-ray spectra of the North Polar Spur and the Cygnus Loop. Astrophysical Journal, 238, 886-891.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Iyudin, A.F., Diehl, R., Bloemen, H., Hermsen, W., Lichti, G.G., Morris, D., Ryan, J., Schoenfelder, V., Steinle, H., Varendorff, M., de Vries, C. and Winkler, C. (1994). COMPTEL observations of Ti-44 gamma-ray line emission from CAS A. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 284, L1-L4.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Iyudin, A.F., Schönfelder, V., Bennett, K., Bloemen, H., Diehl, R., Hermsen, W., Lichti, G.G., van der Meulen, R.D., Ryan, J. and Winkler, C. (1998). Emission from 44Ti associated with a previously unknown Galactic supernova. Nature, 396, 142-144.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, E.B. and Meloy, D.A. (1974). A survey with Copernicus of interstellar O VI absorption. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 193, L121-L125.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kinugasa, K. and Tsunemi, H. (1999). ASCA observation of Kepler’s supernova remnant. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 51, 239-252.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Koyama, K., Petre, R., Gotthelf, E.V., Hwang, U., Matsuura, M., Ozaki, M. and Holt, S.S. (1995). Evidence for shock acceleration of high-energy electrons in the supernova remnant SN: 1006. Nature, 378, 255.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Levenson, N.A., Graham, J.R., Keller, L.D. and Richter, M.J. (1998). Panoramic views of the Cygnus Loop. Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 118, 541-561.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Markert, T.H., Clark, G.W., Winkler, P.F. and Canizares, C.R. (1983). High-velocity, asymmetric Doppler shifts of the X-ray emission lines of Cassiopeia A. Astrophysical Journal, 268, 134-144.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Masai, K. (1984). X-ray emission spectra from ionizing plasmas. Astrophysics and Space Science, 98, 367-395.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Miyata, E., Tsunemi, H., Pisarski, R. and Kissel, S.E. (1994). The plasma structure of the north-east rim of the Cygnus Loop as observed with ASCA. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 46, L101-L104.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Miyata, E., Tsunemi, H., Kohmura, T., Suzuki, S. and Kumagai, S. (1998a). Metal-rich plasma at the center portion of the Cygnus Loop. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 50, 257-269.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Miyata, E., Tsunemi, H., Torii, K., Hashimotodani, K., Tsuru, T., Koyama, K., Ayani, K., Ohta, K. and Yoshida, M. (1998b). Discovery of a compact X-ray source inside the Cygnus Loop. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 50, 475-481.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Miyata, E., Ohta, K., Torii, K., Takeshima, T., Tsunemi, H., Hasegawa, T. and Hashimoto, Y. (2001). On the Nature of AX J2049.6+2939/AX J2050.0+2914. Astrophysical Journal, 550, 1023-1029.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Pelling, R.M., Paciesas, W.S., Peterson, L.E., Makishima, K., Oda, M., Ogawara, Y. and Miyamoto, S. (1987). A scanning modulation collimator observation of the high-energy X-ray source in the Crab Nebula. Astrophysical Journal, 319, 416-425.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Petre, R., Becker, C.M. and Winkler, P.F. (1996). A central stellar remnant in Puppis A. Astrophysical Journal. 465, L43-L46.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Rho, J. and Petre, R. (1997). X-ray imaging and spectroscopy of the supernova remnant CTB 109 and its associated pulsar 1E 2259+586. Astrophysical Journal, 484, 828-843.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Sedov, L.I. (1959). Similarity and Dimensional Methods in Mechanics, New York: Academic Press.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Sunyaev, R., Kaniovsky, A., Efremov, V., Gilfanov, M., Churazov, E., Brebenev, S., Kuznetsov, A., Melioranskiy, A., Yamburenko, N., Yunin, S., Stepanov, D., Chulkov, I., Pappe, N., Boyarskiy, M., Gavrilova, E., Loznikov, V. and Prudkoglyad, A. (1987). Discovery of hard X-ray emission from supernova 1987A. Nature, 330, 230.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka, Y. and Bleeker, J.A.M. (1977). The diffuse soft X-ray sky -Astrophysics related to cosmic soft X-rays in the energy range 0.1-2.0 keV. Space Science Reviews, 20, 815-888.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanimori, T., Hayami, Y., Kamei, S., Dazeley, S. A., Edwards, P. G., Gunji, S., Hara, S., Hara, T., Holder, J., Kawachi, A., Kifune, T., Kita, R., Konishi, T., Masaike, A., Matsubara, Y., Matsuoka, T., Mizumoto, Y., Mori, M., Moriya, M., Muraishi, H., Muraki, Y., Naito, T., Nishijima, K., Oda, S., Ogio, S., Patterson, J.R., Roberts, M.D., Rowell, G.P., Sakurazawa, K., Sako, T., Sato, Y., Susukita, R., Suzuki, A., Suzuki, R., Tamura, T., Thornton, G. J., Yanagita, S., Yoshida, T. and Yoshikoshi, T. (1998). Discovery of TeV gamma rays from SN 1006: Further evidence for the supernova remnant origin of cosmic rays. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 497, L25-L28.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Thielemann, F., Nomoto, K. and Hashimoto, K. (1996). Core-collapse Supernovae and their ejecta. Astrophysical Journal, 460, 408-436.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Torii, K., Kinugasa, K., Toneri, T., Asanuma, T., Tsunemi, H., Dotani, T., Mitsuda, K., Gotthelf, E.V. and Petre, R. (1998). Discovery of a 69 millisecond X-ray pulsar: A compact source in the vicinity of the supernova remnant RCW 103. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 494, L207-L210.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsunemi, H., Yamashita, K., Masai, K., Hayakawa, S. and Koyama, K. (1986). X-ray spectra of the Cassiopeia A and TYCHO supernova remnants and their element abundances. Astrophysical Journal, 306, 248-254.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsunemi, H., Miyata, E. and Aschenbach, B. (1999). Spectroscopic study of the Vela-Shrapnel. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 51, 711-717.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsunemi, H., Miyata, E., Kinugasa, K. and Hiraga, J. (2000). Thermal emission from SNRs and plasma diagnostics. Advances in Space Research, 25, 539-548.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vartanian, M.H., Lum, K.S.K. and Ku, W.H. (1985). Imaging X-ray spec-trophotometric observation of SN 1006. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 288, L5-L9.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vedder, P.W., Canizares, C.R., Markert, T.H. and Pradhan, A.K. (1986). High-resolution X-ray spectroscopic evidence of nonequilibrium conditions in the Cygnus Loop. Astrophysical Journal, 307, 269-274.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Whittet, D.C.B. (1999). A physical interpretation of the ’red Sirius’ anomaly. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 310, 355-359.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Osaka University, Japan

    Hiroshi Tsunemi

Authors
  1. Hiroshi Tsunemi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. SRON — National Institute for Space Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Johan A. M. Bleeker

  2. ISSI — International Space Science Institute, Bern, Switzerland

    Johannes Geiss

  3. ESA — European Space Agency, Paris, France

    Martin C. E. Huber

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Tsunemi, H. (2001). Supernovae and supernova remnants. In: Bleeker, J.A.M., Geiss, J., Huber, M.C.E. (eds) The Century of Space Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0320-9_41

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0320-9_41

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-7196-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-0320-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation