Highly Clumpy Structure of the Thermal Composite Supernova Remnant 3C391 Unveiled by Chandra

Abstract

The nature of the internal thermal X-ray emission seen in ``thermal composite" supernova remnants is still uncertain. Chandra observation of the 3C391 shows a southeast-northwest elongated morphology and unveils a highly clumpy structure of the remnant. Detailed spatially resolved spectral analysis for the small-scale features reveals normal metal abundance and uniform temperature for the interior gas. The properties of the hot gas comparatively favor the cloudlet evaporation model as a main mechanism for the ``thermal composite" X-ray appearance, though radiative rim and thermal conduction may also be effective. A faint protrusion is found in Si and S lines out of the southwest radio border.

7 pages, 4 embedded figures, in COSPAR 2004 session E1.4, "Young Neutron Stars and Supernova Remnants", Advances in Space Research, in press

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