Imprints of the jittering jets explosion mechanism in the morphology of the supernova remnant SNR 0540-69.3

TL;DR

This paper presents evidence that jittering jets played a key role in shaping the supernova remnant SNR 0540-69.3, revealing point-symmetric structures and estimating the neutron star's natal kick velocity and direction.

Contribution

It provides observational evidence linking jittering jets to supernova remnant morphology and estimates the neutron star's natal kick based on this mechanism.

Findings

Point-symmetric structures suggest jittering jets shaped the ejecta.

A faint strip indicates a main jet-axis similar to features in other SNRs.

Estimated neutron star kick velocity is approximately 235 km/s.

Abstract

I identify a point-symmetric structure in recently published VLT/MUSE velocity maps of different elements in a plane along the line of sight at the center of the supernova remnant SNR 0540-69.3, and argue that jittering jets that exploded this core collapse supernova shaped this point-symmetric structure. The four pairs of two opposite clumps that compose this point symmetric structure suggest that two to four pairs of jittering jets shaped the inner ejecta in this plane. In addition, intensity images of several spectral lines reveal a faint strip (the main jet-axis) that is part of this plane of jittering jets and its similarity to morphological features in a few other SNRs and in some planetary nebulae further suggests shaping by jets. My interpretation implies that in addition to instabilities, jets also mix elements in the ejecta of core collapse supernovae. Based on the point-symmetric structure and under the assumption that jittering jets exploded this supernova, I estimate the component of the neutron star natal kick velocity on the plane of the sky to be ~235 km/s, and at an angle of 47 degrees to the direction of the main jet-axis. I analyse this natal kick direction together with other 12 SNRs in the frame of the jittering jets explosion mechanism.