Estimating Global Ejecta Mass Ratios in Tycho's SNR

TL;DR

This study estimates the ejecta element mass ratios in Tycho's supernova remnant using Suzaku X-ray data, comparing results with previous analyses and supernova models to infer explosion characteristics.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed ejecta mass ratio analysis of Tycho's SNR accounting for calibration and plasma uncertainties, linking observations to specific Type Ia supernova models.

Findings

Ejecta mass ratios align with models using ~90% attenuated $^{12}$C$+^{16}$O reaction rate

Results are inconsistent with double detonation of a thick helium layer

Supports a normal luminosity Type Ia explosion with ~85% heated ejecta

Abstract

In this work, as a follow-up to our similar analysis of Kepler's supernova remnant (SNR), we estimate total mass ratios of various ejecta elements in Tycho's SNR using Suzaku X-ray data. In our spectral analysis, we account for uncertainties arising from Suzaku's effective area calibration (5%-15%) and from the unknown filling factors of the various plasma components in our spectral model (1%-10%). We compare our calculated ejecta mass ratios to results from previous X-ray analyses of Tycho's SNR and to the nucleosynthesis results from Type Ia supernova simulations. Our estimated ejecta mass ratios for Tycho's SNR are only consistent with simulations that use a $\sim$90% attenuated $^{12}$C$+^{16}$O reaction rate (as for Kepler's SNR), are inconsistent with simulations involving a double detonation of a thick helium layer, and support a Type Ia explosion of normal luminosity where $\sim$85% of the ejecta has been heated by the reverse shock.