Cassiopeia A's Reverse Shock and its Effects on the Expanding SN Ejecta

TL;DR

This study investigates the reverse shock velocity in Cassiopeia A using optical and near-infrared imaging and spectra, revealing slower-than-expected shock speeds and their effects on ejecta dynamics over a 71-year period.

Contribution

It provides new measurements of the reverse shock velocity in Cas A, showing it is slower than X-ray estimates and nearly stationary in some regions, offering insights into remnant evolution.

Findings

Reverse shock velocities are between 1000 and 2000 km/s.

Optical ejecta proper motions range from 3500 to 6000 km/s.

Ejecta knots show extended trails indicating deceleration up to 1000 km/s.

Abstract

Using optical and near-infrared images of the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) supernova remnant covering the time period 1951 to 2022, together with optical spectra of selected filaments, we present an investigation of Cas A's reverse shock velocity and the effects it has on the remnant's metal-rich ejecta. We find the sequence of optical ejecta brightening and the appearance of new optical ejecta indicating the advancement of the remnant's reverse shock in the remnant's main shell has velocities typically between 1000 and 2000 km/s, which is ~1000 km/s less than recent measurements made in X-rays. We further find the reverse shock appears to move much more slowly and is nearly even stationary in the sky frame along the remnant's western limb. However, we do not find the reverse shock to move inward at velocities as large as ~2000 km/s as has been reported. Optical ejecta in Cas A's main emission shell have proper motions indicating outward tangential motions ~3500 - 6000 km/s, with the smaller values preferentially along the remnant's southern regions which we speculate may be partially the cause of the remnant's faint and more slowly evolving southern sections. Following interaction with the reverse shock, ejecta knots exhibit extended mass ablated trails 0.2" - 0.5" in length leading to extended emission indicating reverse shock induced decelerated velocities as large as 1000 km/s. Such ablated material is most prominently seen in higher ionization line emissions, whereas denser parts of ejecta knots show surprisingly little deceleration.