JWST NIRSpec observations of Supernova 1987A -- from the inner ejecta to the reverse shock

TL;DR

This study presents the first spatially-resolved infrared spectroscopy of Supernova 1987A's ejecta and ring using JWST, revealing detailed 3D structures, interactions, and excitation mechanisms of various emission lines.

Contribution

It provides novel 3D emissivity maps of the ejecta and reverse shock, and models the integrated spectrum, offering new insights into the supernova's geometry and physical conditions.

Findings

Asymmetric Fe I ejecta with large clumps (~2300 km/s)

Interaction evidence between Fe-rich ejecta and reverse shock

Detection of high-ionization coronal lines indicating >2 million K temperature

Abstract

We present initial results from JWST NIRSpec integral field unit observations of the nearby Supernova (SN) 1987A. The observations provide the first spatially-resolved spectroscopy of the ejecta and equatorial ring (ER) over the 1-5 \mu m range. We construct 3D emissivity maps of the [Fe I] 1.443 \mu m line from the inner ejecta and the He I 1.083 \mu m line from the reverse shock (RS), where the former probes the explosion geometry and the latter traces the structure of the circumstellar medium. We also present a model for the integrated spectrum of the ejecta. The [Fe I] 3D map reveals a highly-asymmetric morphology resembling a broken dipole, dominated by two large clumps with velocities of ~2300 km/s. We also find evidence that the Fe-rich inner ejecta have started to interact with the RS. The RS surface traced by the He I line extends from just inside the ER to higher latitudes on both sides of the ER with a half-opening angle ~45 degrees, forming a bubble-like structure. The spectral model for the ejecta allows us to identify the many emission lines, including numerous H_2 lines. We find that the H_2 is most likely excited by far-UV emission, while the metal lines ratios are consistent with a combination of collisional excitation and recombination in the low-temperature ejecta. We also find several high-ionization coronal lines from the ER, requiring a temperature > 2 \times 10^6 K.