[Previous] | [Session 32] | [Next]

[32.13] Studying the centrally-peaked morphology of G272.2-3.2

I. M. Harrus (NASA/GSFC), P. O. Slane, R. Smith (SAO), J. P. Hughes (Rutgers University)

We present the analysis of the centrally brightened supernova remnant (SNR) G272.2-3.2. \\ G272.2-3.2 is an SNR characterized by a centrally brightened X-ray morphology and a thermally dominated X-ray emission. Because of this combination of Sedov-type (thermal emission) and non-Sedov type (non-shell like morphology) features, G272.2-3.2 is classified as a ``thermal composite'' SNR. This class of SNRs is still poorly understood due in part to the difficulties in modeling accurately all the physical conditions which shape the emission morphology. \\ In this paper we present a combined analysis of data from the ASCA and ROSAT satellites. We find that G272.2-3.2 is best described by a non-equilibrium ionization (NEI) model with a temperature around 0.70~keV, an ionization timescale of 3200~cm^{\rm -3}~yr and a relatively high column density (N_{\rm H}~10^{\rm 22}~atoms~cm^{\rm -2}). The morphology and the temperature profile of the remnant can be approximated using a cloud evaporation model but not using a thermal conduction model. The distance to G272.2-3.2 is poorly constrained and we discuss the different evolution scenarios possible for this SNR.

The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: imh@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov