XRISM Observation of the Supernova Remnant N103B: Velocity Structure and Thermal Properties

TL;DR

This study uses XRISM's high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy to analyze the supernova remnant N103B, revealing complex velocity structures, a new high-temperature plasma component, and detailed elemental distributions, advancing understanding of supernova remnant dynamics.

Contribution

First detailed XRISM spectral analysis of N103B revealing a new high-temperature plasma component and complex ejecta velocity structures.

Findings

Identification of a high-temperature, Fe-dominated plasma with high Cr and Mn abundances.

Ejecta velocities range from 1700 to 2800 km/s, indicating thermal Doppler broadening.

Detection of redshifted and blueshifted ejecta components supporting a bipolar expansion model.

Abstract

We present the first analysis of the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) observation of the supernova remnant (SNR) N103B. We fit the X-ray spectrum taken with the Resolve microcalorimeter, which captured emission lines from the predominantly ejecta elements Si, S, Ar, Ca, Cr, Mn, and Fe. Notably, our fits require a previously unidentified high-temperature, highly-ionized, Fe-dominated plasma component with particularly high Cr and Mn abundances, matching a feature also present in the recent XRISM analysis of the SNR N132D. We find that all ejecta in N103B exhibits significant line broadening arising mostly from thermal Doppler broadening: increasing from $\sigma_{\rm th}\sim1700$ km s$^{-1}$ for intermediate-mass element (IME: Si, S, Ar, and Ca) ejecta to $\sim$2800 km s$^{-1}$ for Fe-rich ejecta. These velocities correspond to reverse shock velocities of $\sim$3500 and $\sim$5900 km s$^{-1}$, respectively, in the ejecta frame of rest. Finally, we find that the IMEs are redshifted with a bulk velocity of $\sim$360 km s$^{-1}$ while the Fe-dominated components are split: one redshifted at $\sim$1560 km s$^{-1}$ and the other blueshifted at $\sim$1020 km s$^{-1}$. Our results provide further support for the double-ring structure of N103B as it expands into the bipolar winds of a non-degenerate companion and highlight the strength of high-resolution spectroscopic observations of SNRs.