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NASA's IXPE Finds Expansion Mystery Solved in 2,000-Year-Old Supernova
NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer has revealed a 'reflected shock effect' at the outer edge of RCW 86 that explains why this 2,000-year-old supernova remnant halted its unusually fast expansion.
Key Takeaways
- NASA's IXPE detected a 'reflected shock effect' at the rim of RCW 86 where its unusually rapid expansion has halted
- The Chandra observatory had previously found a low-density cavity surrounding the remnant that caused abnormally fast expansion
- The new finding explains the expansion halt as a shock wave bouncing back from the cavity's edge, confirmed by IXPE's unique polarimetric capability
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DT Editorial AI··via nasa.gov