SN 1987A: an investigation of the bolometric luminosity evolution and the interior neutron star

In this paper the contributions of various radioactive substances (⁵⁶Co, ⁵⁷Co, ⁴⁴Ti and ²²Na) in the envelope of the supernova SN 1987A to the evolution of the bolometric luminosity are calculated and the several types of radiation, which may probably exist in the interior neutron star, as well as their contributions to the bolometric luminosity are investigated. After comparison of the results of calculation with the observation of CTIO and ESO, it is believed that after about 900 days the nuclear decay energy is no longer the unique energy source which determines the bolometric luminosity evolution of SN 1987A, that the radiation coming from the interior neutron star begins to play a dominating role in the bolometric luminosity evolution and that the most important mechanism of radiation of the neutron star is accretion.     

Neutrino luminosity of stars with different masses

Neutrinos play an important role in stellar evolution. They are produced by nuclear reactions or thermal processes. Using the stellar evolution code Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics(MESA), we study stellar neutrino luminosity with different masses. The neutrino luminosities of stars with different initial masses at different evolutionary stages are simulated. We find that the neutrino flux of a star with 1 M⊙mass at an evolutionary age of 4.61 × 10~9 yr is consistent with that of the Sun. In general, neutrinos are produced by nuclear reactions, and the neutrino luminosity of stars is about one or two magnitudes lower than the photo luminosity. However, neutrino luminosity can exceed photo luminosity during the helium flash which can occur for stars with a mass lower than 8 M_⊙. Although the helium flash does not produce neutrinos, plasma decay, one of the thermal processes, can efficiently make neutrinos during this stage. Due to the high mass-loss rate, a star with a mass of 9 M_⊙does not undergo the helium flash. Its neutrinos mainly originate from nuclear reactions until the end of the AGB stage. At the end of the AGB stage, its neutrino luminosity results from plasma decay which is triggered by the gravitational energy release because of the stellar core contracting.     

What type was SN 1987A?

A comparison is made of the light and colour curves of the SN 1987A in the first 280 days with the mean properties of type II supernovae. The conclusion is that even though it has H lines, and was not a typical type II supernova, but a peculiar object from a photometric point of view. The implications for inclusion of SN 1987A in the context of the usual Minkowski-Zwicky classification are explicitly discussed.     

Iron whiskers in supernova SN 1987A

The far-infrared flux measurements for supernova SN 1987A are modelled in terms of length distributions of iron whiskers. The excess emission detected at 1.3µm can be explained on the basis of such a model.     

Time variation of the X-ray spectrum and optical luminosity of SCO X-1

Results of rocket observations of SCO X-1 over the spectral range of 220 keV are presented. The observations have been performed partly in India and partly in Japan under the collaboration of the three groups. The present results are compared with results of similar observations carried out by the LRL (Lawrence Radiation Laboratory) group. Some of these X-ray observations were accompanied by simultaneous optical observations. Relationships between the hardness of the X-ray spectrum and the X-ray intensity and between the hardness and the optical luminosity are compiled. The relationships among the parameters (temperature, density and size) which characterize the postulated isothermal cloud model of SCO X-1 are given. They indicate that SCO X-1 is characterized by a temperature of about 10⁷–10⁸K, a density of about 10¹⁶–10¹⁷ cm^–3 and a radius of about 10⁸–10⁹ cm respectively. We further show that the temperature is inversely correlated with the size of the source; an increase in temperature corresponds to a decrease in the radius and an increase in density.     

Evolution of the optical spectrum of SN 1987a in the large magellanic cloud

The evolution of the spectrum of SN1987a is traced from 1987 February 26 to March 31. Based on the low-resolution spectroscopic data we identify the lines of H, He I, Na I, Fe II, Sc II, Ca II which are known to be present in Type II Supernovae, and also present evidence for the existence of lines of Mg I, Ca_I, O I, and N I. We discuss the evolution of the Hα profile, and draw attention to its complex structure around March 30. Close to the rest wavelength of Ha a double-peaked structure appeared in the profile with a peak-to-peak separation of ∼ 1400 km s⁻¹, suggestive of an expanding shell or disc of gas. Using the available broadband photometric information, we also trace the evolution of the photosphere of SN1987a assuming that it radiates like a supergiant.     

Temperature evolution of the envelope of SN 1987A

We present a theoretical derivation of the H_α line luminosity of the expanding envelope of SN 1987A from the theory of hydrogen recombination lines. A remarkable deviation of our calculated H_α light curve from the observed light curve was found when a constant temperature was assumed. From the deviation we easily derive the temperature evolution. The temperature actually rises after day 500 and this may be explained as follows: as the shell expands, the electron and ion densities rapidly fall, greatly reducing the recombination cooling rate, while heating continues.     

The 23 year reminiscence of the SN1987A

Twenty three years ago on February 23, 1987, the explosion of the SN in the L.M.C. was observed both optically and by underground detectors. The optical observations were done in Chile and Australian observatories while the neutrino burst was detected by several underground experiments in the Northern Hemisphere, running at that time: Mt. Blanc in Italy, Kamioka in Japan, and Baksan in Russia and IMB in the USA. For the first time in the history of human existence, an astrophysical phenomenon has been observed in underground detectors. In this astrophysical event, the Mt. Blanc experiment detected five pulses on-line that were not at the same time, as detected by the other three detectors around five hours later. It is still not clear to astrophysicists why two bursts at two different times have been detected and how an SN can generate two neutrino bursts. After 23 years a model has proposed an explanation for a double stage collapse at two different times, as recently suggested by V.S. Imshennik and O. Ryazhskaya. In this paper, a detailed occurrence of something strange that happened on February 23rd is presented while most of the scientific information has been exhibited in other published papers.     

Precessing Gamma jets,GRB and the twin rings around SN1987A

Gamma jets (GJ) at MeV energies may be produced in galactic halos by Inverse Compton Scattering (ICS) of collinear ultrarelativistic electron beams (at GeV energies) onto thermal photons. These electron jets are emitted by neutron star jets (NSJ) or black holes (BH) while the target thermal photons are generated by a nearby binary stellarlike companion (or by a relic accreting disk). The GJ precesses in a conical shape as a lighthouse (with a characteristic Keplerian binary period) forced by the NSJ magnetic lines interaction with the stellar companion ones. The sudden blazing of the GJ, once the observer is into the beam cone direction, is detected as a GRB. Our predicted GRB spectra fit the GRB observed ones; GRB luminosity, variability and counts are well explained if the GJ sources are located in an extended and an evaporating galactic halo as the one recently required in the fast running away NS model. Observed jets such as SS433, the Great Annihilator, superluminal sources such as the last GRS1758-258, GRS1915+105 are the ideal candidates for NSJ as well as GJ. The SGRs are the lower energy and wider beamed version of this GJ model so they are linked to classical GRBs. The last mysterious presence of the twin rings near SN1987A (as well as the ring traces near NGC6543) are the spectacular signature of such (double sided) conical jet precession projected onto the red giant relic spherical shell. The tiny but very puzzling offaxis nature of the SN1987A twin rings is due to the high eccentricity of the binary NSJ. The GRBs from the nearby Andromeda halo might be detected as soon as the instrumental sensitivity is increased.     

The spectacular Supernova SN1987A: Grain evaporation and condensation

Non-similarity solutions of the equations governing the motion of a perfect gas behind a cylindrical shock wave of variable strength have been obtained. These solutions are applicable to both the weak and the strong shocks. The nature of flow and field variables are illustrated through graphs. The total energy of the wave is taken to be constant.     

超新星SN1987A包层的温度演化

本文介绍了超新星ＳＮ１９８７Ａ爆发六年来关于其包层温度演化的研究情况。温度是研究超新星的各种物理过程的一个基本参量，然而目前对温度的各种估算十分弥散，结果相当不确定。本文利用辐射转移理论的逃逸几率方法，导出Ｈａ线辐射理论光变曲线，通过与观测曲线的比较，可定量地导出超新气壳的温度演化行为。这一模型的结果与他人结果有较好的符合。同时，我们的结果表明，在爆发５００天以后，温度反而随年龄上升，可能的解释在     

Neutrinos from SN1987A: flavor conversion and interpretation of results

After recent results from solar neutrino experiments and KamLAND we can definitely say that neutrinos from SN1987A underwent flavor conversion, and the conversion effects must be taken into account in the analysis of the data. Assuming the normal mass hierarchy of neutrinos we calculate the permutation factors p for the Kamiokande-2, IMB and Baksan detectors. The conversion inside the star leads to p=0.28–0.32; the oscillations in the matter of the Earth give partial (and different for different detectors) regeneration of the original signal, reducing this factor down to 0.15–0.20 (at E=40 MeV). We study in details the influence of conversion on the observed signal depending on the parameters of the original neutrino spectra. For a given set of these parameters, the conversion could lead to an increase of the average energy of the observed events up to 50% and of the number of events by a factor of 2 at Kamiokande-2 and by a factor of 3–5 at IMB. Inversely, we find that neglecting the conversion effects can lead up to 50% error in the determination of the average energy of the original spectrum and about 50% error in the original luminosity. Comparing our calculations with experimental data we conclude that the Kamiokande-2 data alone do not favor strong conversion effect, which testifies for small difference of the original and spectra. In contrast, the combined analysis of the Kamiokande and IMB results slightly favors strong conversion effects (that is, large difference of the original spectra). In comparison with the no-oscillation case, the latter requires lower average energy and higher luminosity of the original flux.     

Passive and active seti strategies using the synchronization of SN1987A

A passive and active strategy for the reception and transmission of call signals, from and to other possible extraterrestrial civilizations is suggested using the explosion of SN1987A. The reception area is an ellipsoid with the Earth and the supernova in its focuses, in the direction of SN1987A. Three hundred and forty objects have been identified inside this surface and four of them are stars with environments similar to our sun (e.g. necessary for the development of life and intelligence). A search strategy to look for fake pulsars signals, originated in other possible technological civilizations, in this direction, is examined.The active strategy consist in the transmission of terrestrial signals towards the hyperboloid surface (with the same focuses) in the antipodal direction of the supernova explosion. Thirty-three objects have been identified inside the hyperboloid and three of them are solar-type nearby stars. The transmission characteristics of a terrestrial origin fake pulsar (e.g. modulation, frequency, bandwidth, periods, duty cycle, etc.) are discussed in some detail. The possible use of available planetary radars to develop such proposal and the criterion of artificiality, without any implicit code or semantics is reviewed. A difference between active search and communication is established.Presented at the 2nd UN/ESA Workshop, held in Bogotá, Colombia, 9–13 November, 1992.     

A possible explanation of the second neutrino burst from SN 1987A

It is argued that the neutrino bursts registered on February 23.316 UT, 1987 signalized the transition of a fresh-borne neutron star into a superdense state. The neutron star is supposed to be formed approximately five hours before at February 23.12 UT in the supernova SN 1987a in the Large Magellanic Cloud.     

SN1987A晚期X射线辐射的分析

在中央中子星吸积模型较好地解释了超新星ＳＮ１９８７Ａ晚期光度演化的基础上,本文提出了ＳＮ１９８７Ａ晚期Ｘ射线辐射的一种新的解释．利用模型计算出的吸积光度以及ＳＮ１９８７Ａ膨胀气体包层的化学组分及分布,计算了出射的软Ｘ射线（０．５２ｋｅＶ）光度的演化,并与观测作了比较．我们认为ＳＮ１９８７Ａ晚期由中央中子星吸积产生的软Ｘ射线光度经过一段时间的增长后,将在４１００天左右开始下降．     

Constraints on the luminosity of the central source in SNR 1987A

We obtained constraints on the luminosity of the central source in SNR 1987 A using XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL data. XMM-Newton yields an upper limit on the SNR luminosity in the 2–10 keV energy band, L_X ? 5 × 10³⁴ erg s^?1. Since the optical depth of the envelope is still large in the XMM-Newton energy band, this constraint carries no useful information about the luminosity of the central source. The optical depth is expected to be small in the hard (20–200 keV) X-ray band of the IBIS telescope aboard the INTEGRAL observatory. We detected no statistically significant emission from SNR 1987 A in the INTEGRAL data and obtained an upper limit of L_X ? 1.1 × 10³⁶ erg s^?1 on the luminosity of the central source in the 20–60 keV band. We also obtained an upper limit on the mass of radioactive ⁴⁴Ti, M(⁴⁴Ti) ? 10^?3M_⊙.