High resolution spectroscopy of Balmer-dominated shocks in the RCW 86, Kepler and SN 1006 supernova remnants

• We report results from high resolution optical spectroscopy of three non-radiative galactic supernova remnants, RCW 86, Kepler's supernova remnant and SN 1006. We have measured the narrow component Hα line widths in Balmer-dominated filaments in RCW 86 and SN 1006, as well as the narrow component width in a Balmer-dominated knot in Kepler's SNR. The narrow component line widths measured in RCW 86 and Kepler's SNR show FWHM of 30-40 km s-1, similar to what has been seen in other Balmer-dominated remnants. Of the remnants in our sample, SN 1006 is the fastest shock ( ~ 3000 km s-1). The narrow component Hα and Hβ lines in this remnant have a FWHM of merely 21 km s-1. Comparing the narrow component widths measured in our sample with those measured in other remnants shows that the width of the narrow component does not correlate in a simple way with the shock velocity. The implications for the pre-heating mechanism responsible for the observed line widths are discussed. Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile (ESO Programme 67.D-0579).

Nyckelord

ISM: supernova remnants

shock waves

ISM: individual objects: SN 1006

ISM: individual objects: RCW 86

ISM: individual objects: Kepler

Astronomy

astronomi

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