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X- and Gamma-ray Studies of Cas A: Exposing Core Collapse to the Core

Jacco Vink

astro-pharXiv:astro-ph/0310518

Abstract

In this review of X-ray and gamma-ray observations of Cas A, evidence is discussed that Cas A was a Type Ib supernova of a Wolf-Rayet star with a main sequence mass between 22-25 Msun, that exploded after stellar wind loss had reduced its mass to ~6 Msun. The observed kinematics and the high Ti-44 yield indicate that the supernova explosion was probably assymetric, with a kinetic energy of ~2x1051 erg.

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