Simultaneous XMM-Newton and ESO VLT observations of SN 1995N: probing the wind/ejecta interaction

Abstract

We present the results of the first {\it XMM-Newton} observation of the interacting type IIn supernova 1995N, performed in July 2003. We find that the 0.2--10.0 keV unabsorbed flux dropped at a value of $\simeq 1.8\times 10^{-13}$ erg cm${}^{-2}$ s${}^{-1}$, almost one order of magnitude lower than that of a previous {\it ASCA} observation of January 1998. From all the available X-ray measurements, an interesting scenario emerges where the X-ray light emission may be produced by a two-phase (clumpy/smooth) circumstellar medium. The X-ray spectral analysis shows statistically significant evidence for the presence of two distinct components, that can be modeled with emission from optically thin, thermal plasmas at different temperatures. The exponent of the ejecta density distribution inferred from these temperatures is $n\simeq 6.4$. From the fluxes of the two spectral components we derive an estimate of the mass loss rate of the supernova progenitor, $\dot{M}\sim 2\times 10^{-4}{M}_{\odot }{\mathrm{yr}}^{-1}$, at the upper end of the interval exhibited by red super-giants. Coordinated optical and infrared observations allow us to reconstruct the simultaneous infrared to X-ray flux distribution of SN 1995N. We find that, at $\sim$ 9 years after explosion, the direct X-ray thermal emission due to the wind/ejecta interaction is $\sim 5$ times larger than the total reprocessed IR/optical flux.

11 pages, 7 figures, MNRAS, in press

References in corpus (5)

• On the source of the late-time infrared luminosity of SN 1998S and other type II supernovae
• Optical and Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of SN 1995N: Evidence for Strong Circumstellar Interaction
• Extraordinary Late-Time Infrared Emission of Type IIn Supernovae
• Chandra's tryst with SN 1995N
• Chandra ACIS and Newton EPIC Observations of the X-ray Luminous SN1978K in NGC 1313

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• SN 2008iy: An Unusual Type IIn Supernova with an Enduring 400 Day Rise Time
• Eleven years of radio monitoring of the Type IIn supernova SN 1995N
• Late-Time Dust Emission from the Type IIn Supernova 1995N
• The Luminosity Phase Space of Galactic and Extragalactic X-ray Transients Out to Intermediate Redshifts
• Spitzer's Last Look at Extragalactic Explosions: Long-Term Evolution of Interacting Supernovae
• Radio Supernovae