Chandra X-Ray Observatory Arcsecond Imaging of the Young, Oxygen-rich Supernova Remnant 1E 0102.2-7219.

We present observations of the young, oxygen-rich supernova remnant 1E 0102.2-7219 taken by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory during its orbital activation and checkout phase. The boundary of the blast-wave shock is clearly seen for the first time, allowing the diameter of the remnant and the mean blast-wave velocity to be determined accurately. The prominent X-ray bright ring of material may be the result of the reverse shock encountering ejecta; the radial variation of O vii versus O viii emission indicates an ionizing shock propagating inward, possibly through a strong density gradient in the ejecta. We compare the X-ray emission with Australia Telescope Compact Array 6 cm radio observations (Amy & Ball) and with archival Hubble Space Telescope [O iii] observations. The ring of radio emission is predominantly inward of the outer blast wave, which is consistent with an interpretation of synchrotron radiation originating behind the blast wave but outward of the bright X-ray ring of emission. Many (but not all) of the prominent optical filaments are seen to correspond to X-ray bright regions. We obtain an upper limit of approximately 9x1033 ergs s-1 (3 sigma) on any potential pulsar X-ray emission from the central region.

Reconciling Spectroscopic Electron Temperature Measurements in the Solar Corona with In Situ Charge State Observations.

It has been a puzzle for quite some time that spectroscopic measurements in the inner corona indicate electron temperatures far too low to produce the ion fractions observed in situ in the solar wind. In the present Letter, we show that in order to reconcile the two sets of measurements, a number of conditions have to exist in the inner corona: (1) The electron distribution function has to be Maxwellian or close to Maxwellian at the coronal base, (2) the non-Maxwellian character of the distribution has to develop rapidly as a function of height and has to reach close to interplanetary properties inside of a few solar radii, and (3) ions of different elements have to flow with significantly different speeds to separate their "freezing-in" distances sufficiently so that they can encounter different distribution functions. We choose two examples to demonstrate that these conditions are general requirements if both coronal electron temperatures and in situ ion fractions are correct. However, these two examples also show that the details of the required distribution functions are very sensitive to the exact electron temperature, density, and ion flow speed profiles in the region of the corona where the ions predominantly form.