XMM-Newton observation of the Tycho supernova remnant ^*

¹ Service d'Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
² Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Astrophysics, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
³ MPI für extraterrestrische Physik, 85741 Garching, Germany
⁴ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Leicester University, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK

Corresponding author: A. Decourchelle; decour@calix.saclay.cea.fr

Received: 6 October 2000
Accepted: 6 November 2000

Abstract

We present the observation of the Tycho supernova remnant obtained with the EPIC and RGS instruments onboard the XMM-Newton satellite. We compare images and azimuthally averaged radial profiles in emission lines from different elements (silicon and iron) and different transition lines of iron (Fe L and Fe K). While the Fexvii L line and Sixiii K line images are globally spatially coincident, the Fe K emission clearly peaks at a smaller radius, indicating a higher temperature toward the reverse shock. This is qualitatively the profile expected when the reverse shock, after travelling through the outer power-law density profile, has entered the central plateau of the ejecta. The high energy continuum map has an overall smooth distribution, with a similar extent to the radio emission. Its radial profile peaks further out than the lines emission. Brighter and harder continuum regions are observed with a rough bipolar symmetry in the eastern and western edges. The spectral analysis of the southeastern knots supports spatial variations of the relative abundance of silicon and iron, which implies an incomplete mixing of the silicon and iron layers.