Chandra Observations of SN1999gi and the X-ray Emission of Type IIP Supernovae

Eric M. Schlegel(Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory)

Abstract

We report on the X-ray detection, using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, of the Type II-Plateau (IIP) supernova SN1999gi in the spiral galaxy NGC 3184. A faint source is located within 0''.4 of the supernova's optical position. The inferred luminosity is $\sim$1$\times$10³⁷ erg s^-1 in the 0.5-10 keV band for an adopted 1 keV thermal bremsstrahlung spectrum. The luminosity from SN1999gi is very similar to that inferred from the Chandra detection of the Type IIP SN1999em in NGC 1637 for which we extracted data from the Chandra archive. We suggest that Type IIP supernovae show X-rays initially at outburst, subsequently fade, and are not significant X-ray emitters prior to the remnant stage.

CATEGORY: SUPERNOVAE, SUPERNOVA REMNANTS AND ISOLATED NEUTRON STARS