Proposal ID | 040021 |
Title | Observing the X-ray light echo from the giant flare of Cas A.s point source |
Download Data Associated to the proposal | https://nxsa.esac.esa.int/nxsa-sl/servlet/data-action-aio?obsno=0400210101 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-xytcrs6 |
Principal Investigator, PI | Dr Jacco Vink |
Abstract | One of the most interesting discoveries of the Spitzer telescope is theexistence of a dust clouds near the supernova remnant Cas A that appear to movewith a velocity close to the speed of light. The likely explanation is thatthese dust clouds are not moving, but that a very luminous light flash isbriefly lighting up high density dust clouds. The probable origin of the lightflash is a giant flare from the central point source of Cas A, similar to flarefrom soft gamma ray repeaters. We propose to obtain X-ray images of the dustclouds to look for Fe-K fluorescence emission at 6.4virgulkeV, which would establishthat the origin of the infrared emission is indeed a bright X-ray flare. This inturn would establish that the point source is a magnetar. |
Publications |
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Instrument | EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2 |
Temporal Coverage | 2006-06-18T15:37:20Z/2006-06-19T12:42:37Z |
Version | 17.56_20190403_1200 |
Mission Description | The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis. |
Creator Contact | https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/xmm-newton-helpdesk |
Date Published | 2007-07-05T00:00:00Z |
Keywords | "infrared emission", "spitzer telescope", "luminous light flash", "supernova remnant cas", "light flash", "giant flare", "briefly lighting", "probable origin", "xray light echo", "bright xray flare", "density dust clouds", "velocity close", "dust clouds", "xray images", "fluorescence emission" |
Publisher And Registrant | European Space Agency |
Credit Guidelines | European Space Agency, Dr Jacco Vink, 2007, 'Observing the X-ray light echo from the giant flare of Cas A.s point source', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-xytcrs6 |