The Supernova 1987A system and its recent evolution - a review

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Barlow, Michael J.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Barlow, Michael J.
author_facet Barlow, Michael J.
contents Supernova 1987A was the closest supernova event to be observed in nearly 400 years. The outflowing ejecta from the explosion continues to interact with extended circumstellar material and with the equatorial ring (ER) in the triple ring system, while observations of the system have continued across the whole electromagnetic spectrum. This review mainly focuses on works published over the past ten years on Supernova 1987A and its remnant. These include (a) submillimetre, infrared and X-ray studies of molecules, ions and dust in the ejecta, and (b) infrared, optical and X-ray studies of dust and ionized gas in the ER and in the surrounding circumstellar medium, including their time evolution as the ER is shocked and eroded by the impact of high velocity ejecta. Since 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope has become available for high angular resolution infrared observations of Supernova 1987A and has made significant contributions to both (a) and (b) above. Its discovery of redshifted narrow-line emission from multiple ion species located at the centre of the ejecta strongly requires the presence there of either a cooling hot neutron star, or a pulsar wind nebula, to power the emission.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_13629
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The Supernova 1987A system and its recent evolution - a review
Barlow, Michael J.
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Supernova 1987A was the closest supernova event to be observed in nearly 400 years. The outflowing ejecta from the explosion continues to interact with extended circumstellar material and with the equatorial ring (ER) in the triple ring system, while observations of the system have continued across the whole electromagnetic spectrum. This review mainly focuses on works published over the past ten years on Supernova 1987A and its remnant. These include (a) submillimetre, infrared and X-ray studies of molecules, ions and dust in the ejecta, and (b) infrared, optical and X-ray studies of dust and ionized gas in the ER and in the surrounding circumstellar medium, including their time evolution as the ER is shocked and eroded by the impact of high velocity ejecta. Since 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope has become available for high angular resolution infrared observations of Supernova 1987A and has made significant contributions to both (a) and (b) above. Its discovery of redshifted narrow-line emission from multiple ion species located at the centre of the ejecta strongly requires the presence there of either a cooling hot neutron star, or a pulsar wind nebula, to power the emission.
title The Supernova 1987A system and its recent evolution - a review
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.13629