NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2009A-0190
|
NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2009A-0190 |
|
PI: Brendan Sinnott, McMaster University, sinnotbp@physics.mcmaster.ca
Address: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1, Canada
CoI: Doug Welch, McMaster University
CoI: Armin Rest, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
CoI: Peter Sutherlalnd, McMaster University
CoI: Marcel Bergmann, Gemini Observatory - South
Title: Optical Spectroscopy of the Light Echo System of SN1987A
Abstract:
Multi-object spectroscopy of the light echo system of SN1987A provides the
first direct means to measure explosion asymmetries in the optical line
profiles of a supernova. We successfully obtained MOS of five regions of the
echo system in the 2006B session. The P-Cygni profiles in the supernova
outburst spectra are currently contaminated by strong nebular lines,
including [NII]6548, Ha6563, and [NII]6584. Information on the feature-rich
H-alpha emission peak of the SN1987A outburst light is lost as a result, and
our ability to model the observations is therefore limited. The echo ring
will now have expanded on the sky, and we propose a re-observation of the
same slit locations in order to reconstruct line profiles which have peaks
currently dominated by strong nebular lines. A second benefit will be the
removal of the stellar spectral background contributing to our extracted echo
spectra. We emphasize we have found line feature variations consistent with
hemispherical differences in the supernova photosphere, and seek to improve
the quality of the data and its interpretation.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
|
NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2009A-0190 |
|