Carbon Monoxide in the Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant

Abstract

We report the likely detection of near-infrared 2.29 $\mu$m first overtone Carbon Monoxide (CO) emission from the young supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A). The continuum-subtracted CO filter map reveals CO knots within the ejecta-rich reverse shock. We compare the first overtone CO emission with that found in the well-studied supernova, SN 1987A and find $\sim$30 times less CO in Cas A. The presence of CO suggests that molecule mixing is small in the SN ejecta and that astrochemical processes and molecule formation may continue at least ~300 years after the initial explosion.

Accepted for the publication in ApJ Letter

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Cited by in corpus (2)

• Dust and the type II-plateau supernova 2004et
• The Chemistry of Population III Supernova Ejecta: I - Formation of Molecules in the Early Universe