Carbon Monoxide in the Cold Debris of Supernova 1987A

Abstract

We report spectroscopic and imaging observations of rotational transitions of cold CO and SiO in the ejecta of SN1987A, the first such emission detected in a supernova remnant. In addition to line luminosities for the CO J=1-0, 2-1, 6-5, and 7-6 transitions, we present upper limits for all other transitions up to J=13-12, collectively measured from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX), and the Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE). Simple models show the lines are emitted from at least 0.01 solar masses of CO at a temperature > 14 K, confined within at most 35% of a spherical volume expanding at ~ 2000 km/s. Moreover, we locate the emission within 1'' of the central debris. These observations, along with a partial observation of SiO, confirm the presence of cold molecular gas within supernova remnants and provide insight into the physical conditions and chemical processes in the ejecta. Furthermore, we demonstrate the powerful new window into supernova ejecta offered by submillimeter observations.

Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal Letters, 6 pages, 3 figures

References in corpus (3)

• The Chemistry of Population III Supernova Ejecta: I - Formation of Molecules in the Early Universe
• High-resolution radio observations of SNR 1987A at high frequencies
• Fourier Modeling of the Radio Torus Surrounding Supernova 1987A

Cited by in corpus (26)

• A stubbornly large mass of cold dust in the ejecta of Supernova 1987A
• The timing and location of dust formation in the remnant of SN 1987A
• High angular resolution ALMA images of dust and molecules in the SN 1987A ejecta
• The chemically controlled synthesis of dust in type II-P supernovae
• Molecules and dust in Cassiopeia A: II - Dust sputtering and diagnosis of dust survival in supernova remnants
• 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
• The Herschel exploitation of local galaxy Andromeda (HELGA) V: Strengthening the case for substantial interstellar grain growth
• Very Deep Inside the SN 1987A Core Ejecta: Molecular Structures Seen in 3D
• Hot phase generation by supernovae: resolution, chemistry and thermal conduction
• ALMA spectral survey of Supernova 1987A --- molecular inventory, chemistry, dynamics and explosive nucleosynthesis
• Molecules and dust in Cas A: I - Synthesis in the supernova phase and processing by the reverse shock in the clumpy remnant
• Infrared Continuum and Line Evolution of the Equatorial Ring around SN 1987A
• Supernova 2017eaw: molecule and dust formation from infrared observations
• Discovery of molecular hydrogen in SN 1987A
• CO rotational line emission from a dense knot in Cas A Evidence for active post-reverse-shock chemistry
• Early formation of carbon monoxide in the Centaurus A supernova SN 2016adj
• Dust Production in a Thin Dense Shell in Supernovae with Early Circumstellar Interactions
• X-ray Absorption in Young Core-Collapse Supernova Remnants
• A 3D view of molecular hydrogen in Supernova 1987A
• On the properties of dust and gas in the environs of V838 Monocerotis
• A search for cool molecular gas in GK Persei and other classical novae
• Dense Molecular Clouds in the Crab Supernova Remnant
• AKARI near-infrared spectroscopy of the extended green object G318.05+0.09: Detection of CO fundamental ro-vibrational emission
• The Radio Remnant of Supernova 1987A - A Broader View
• Revisiting the formation of molecules and dust in core collapse supernovae