Chandra observations of SN 1987A: the soft X-ray light curve revisited

Abstract

We report on the present stage of SN 1987A as observed by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We reanalyze published Chandra observations and add three more epochs of Chandra data to get a consistent picture of the evolution of the X-ray fluxes in several energy bands. We discuss the implications of several calibration issues for Chandra data. Using the most recent Chandra calibration files, we find that the 0.5-2.0 keV band fluxes of SN 1987A have increased by ~6 x 10 ^-13 erg s^-1 cm^-2 per year since 2009. This is in contrast with our previous result that the 0.5-2.0 keV light curve showed a sudden flattening in 2009. Based on our new analysis, we conclude that the forward shock is still in full interaction with the equatorial ring.

Accepted for publication by ApJ, 7 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (8)

• The Triple-Ring Nebula around SN1987A: Fingerprint of a binary merger
• Multiple ring nebulae around blue supergiants
• Spectral monitoring of RX J1856.5-3754 with XMM-Newton. Analysis of EPIC-pn data
• Evolutionary Status of SNR 1987A at the Age of Eighteen
• Chandra LETG Observations of Supernova Remnant 1987A
• XMM-Newton observations of SN1987A
• Evolution and Hydrodynamics of the Very-Broad X-ray Line Emission in SN 1987A
• XMM-Newton observations of SNR 1987A. II. The still increasing X-ray light curve and the properties of Fe K lines

Cited by in corpus (40)

• Pulsational Pair-Instability Supernovae
• The microphysics of collisionless shock waves
• Dust Production and Particle Acceleration in Supernova 1987A Revealed with ALMA
• A stubbornly large mass of cold dust in the ejecta of Supernova 1987A
• The population of X-ray supernova remnants in the Large Magellanic Cloud
• High angular resolution ALMA images of dust and molecules in the SN 1987A ejecta
• New constraints on the cooling of the Central Compact Object in Cas A
• Supernova 1987A: a Template to Link Supernovae to their Remnants
• The fully developed remnant of a neutrino-driven supernova: Evolution of ejecta structure and asymmetries in SNR Cassiopeia A
• Chandra Observes the End of an Era SN 1987A
• Hydrodynamic simulations unravel the progenitor-supernova-remnant connection in SN 1987A
• The Destruction of the Circumstellar Ring of SN 1987A
• Three-dimensional distribution of ejecta in Supernova 1987A at 10 000 days
• Spectral and morphological analysis of the remnant of Supernova 1987A with ALMA & ATCA
• 3D MHD modeling of the expanding remnant of SN 1987A. Role of magnetic field and non-thermal radio emission
• The morphology of the ejecta in Supernova 1987A: a study over time and wavelength
• High-resolution radio observations of SNR 1987A at high frequencies
• Late Spectral Evolution of the Ejecta and Reverse Shock in SN1987A
• The 30-Year Search for the Compact Object in SN 1987A
• Infrared Continuum and Line Evolution of the Equatorial Ring around SN 1987A
• Evolution of the Radio Remnant of Supernova 1987A: Morphological Changes from Day 7000
• The Re-Acceleration of the Shock Wave in the Radio Remnant of SN 1987A
• Highlights and Discoveries from the Chandra X-ray Observatory
• Discovery of molecular hydrogen in SN 1987A
• PDFchem: A new fast method to determine ISM properties and infer environmental parameters using probability distributions
• Thermal Emission and Radioactive Lines, but No Pulsar, in the Broadband X-Ray Spectrum of Supernova 1987A
• Dynamical Evolution and Radiative Processes of Supernova Remnants
• The Post-impact Evolution of the X-ray Emitting Gas in SNR 1987A Viewed by XMM-Newton
• Spectral Evolution of the X-Ray Remnant of SN 1987A: A High-Resolution $Chandra$ HETG Study
• High-cadence Dispersed Spectral Analysis of Supernova Remnant 1987A
• Latest Evolution of the X-Ray Remnant of SN 1987A: Beyond the Inner Ring
• Tracing the ejecta structure of SN 1987A: Insights and diagnostics from 3D MHD simulations
• Polarized radio emission unveils the structure of the pre-supernova circumstellar magnetic field and the radio emission in SN1987A
• A Possible Gamma-Ray Enhancement Event in Tycho's Supernova Remnant
• Unusual X-ray Oxygen Line Ratios of SN 1987A Arising From the Absorption of Galactic Hot Interstellar Medium
• Radio Observations of Supernova 1987A
• Measuring the initial mass of 44Ti in SN 1987A through the 44Sc emission line
• The Radio Remnant of Supernova 1987A - A Broader View
• The radio remnant of Supernova 1987A at high frequencies and high resolution
• Momentum deposition of supernovae with cosmic rays