Abstract
Supernova remnants (SNRs) mark the end point of stellar evolution. They return nucleosynthesis products to the interstellar medium (ISM), enriching and mixing it with freshly-produced heavy elements. Studying SNRs in general, and their X-ray emission in particular, is crucial to advance our understanding of many important astrophysical processes. With an XMM-Newton Very Large Programme (PI: F. Haberl), we conducted an X-ray survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). As opposed to the Milky Way, the LMC offers an ideal target, at a well-constrained distance with small absorption column densities. Thus, X-ray properties of the evolved end of the SNR population of a galaxy can be studied. I will present the characteristics of the newly X-ray-discovered SNRs, with emphasis on the discovery of several iron-rich SNRs, which are the most evolved remnants of type Ia (i.e. thermonuclear) supernovae. I will take advantage of the high level of completeness of our sample of SNRs to i) present the X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of LMC SNRs, extended towards lowerluminosity objects, comparing it to the XLF of SNRs in other galaxies; and ii) compare the spatial distribution of SNRs and star formation histories in the LMC.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Oral Communications and Posters: The X-ray Universe 2014, 16-19 June 2014, Tinity College Dublin, Ireland: An International Symposium Organized by the XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre, European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC), European Space Agency (ESA) |
| Publisher | European Space Agency |
| Pages | 89- |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
| Event | The X-ray Universe - Duration: 1 Jan 2014 → … |
Conference
| Conference | The X-ray Universe |
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| Period | 1/01/14 → … |