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C.S.J. Pun (Univ of Hong Kong), Supernova INtensive Studies (SINS) Collaboration
With the Hubble Space Telescope images of SN~1987A, the explosion debris of a supernova can be resolved spatially. We measured earlier that the debris is expanding at a velocity of 2600 - 2900 km~s-1 in the optical wavelengths and is asymmetric at a level of ~15%. We are presenting here observations and modeling of the shape of the SN 1987A debris. We calculate the connections between the density of the supernova atmosphere and the observed surface brightness profile from the HST\//Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 images. We find that the density profile inferred from the observed surface brightness distribution is consistent with the explosion model 14E1 of Blinnikov et al. (2000). And the higher observed UV debris expansion velocity (~ 4000 km~s-1) can be explained as a result of resonant scattering by metal lines in the hydrogen envelope.
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The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: jcspun@hkucc.hku.hk