# Asymmetries of Heavy Elements in the Young Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A

## TL;DR

This study analyzes the asymmetrical distribution of heavy elements in Cassiopeia A, revealing insights into supernova explosion mechanisms and neutron star kicks through X-ray emission morphology.

## Contribution

It provides new observational evidence linking element asymmetries to supernova explosion dynamics and neutron star motion in Cassiopeia A.

## Key findings

- Heaviest elements show highest asymmetry levels.
- Heavy elements move more directly opposite to neutron star.
- Results support models linking ejecta asymmetries to neutron star kicks.

## Abstract

Supernova remnants (SNRs) offer the means to study supernovae (SNe) long after the original explosion and can provide a unique insight into the mechanism that governs these energetic events. In this work, we examine the morphologies of X-ray emission from different elements found in the youngest known core-collapse (CC) SNR in the Milky Way, Cassiopeia A. The heaviest elements exhibit the highest levels of asymmetry, which we relate to the burning process that created the elements and their proximity to the center of explosion. Our findings support recent model predictions that the material closest to the source of explosion will reflect the asymmetries inherent to the SN mechanism. Additionally, we find that the heaviest elements are moving more directly opposed to the neutron star (NS) than the lighter elements. This result is consistent with NS kicks arising from ejecta asymmetries.