Swift/BAT detection of hard X-rays from Tycho's Supernova Remnant: Evidence for Titanium-44

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of hard X-ray emission from Tycho's supernova remnant, providing evidence for Titanium-44, which has implications for understanding nucleosynthesis in Type Ia supernovae.

Contribution

First detection of Titanium-44 line emission in a Type Ia supernova remnant using Swift/BAT data, indicating radioactive nucleosynthesis in such explosions.

Findings

Detection of significant hard X-ray emission above 60 keV.

Evidence for Titanium-44 line emission in Tycho's remnant.

Implications for supernova nucleosynthesis models.

Abstract

We report Swift/BAT survey observations of the Tycho's supernova remnant, performed over a period of 104 months since the mission's launch. The remnant is detected with high significance (>10 sigma) below 50 keV. We detect significant hard X-ray emission in the 60-85 keV band, above the continuum level predicted by a simple synchrotron model. The location of the observed excess is consistent with line emission from radioactive Titanium-44, so far reported only for Type II supernova explosions. We discuss the implications of these results in the context of the galactic supernova rate, and nucleosynthesis in Type Ia supernova.