Einstein observations of selected regions of the Cygnus Loop

The imaging proportional counter on the Einstein X-ray Observatory is used to obtain high quality soft X-ray maps of two 40 x 40 arcmin regions of the Cygnus Loop. One region covers the western shock front; the other is centered on the southern diffuse extension. After careful correction for background and detector gain variations these two regions were subdivided for X-ray spectral analysis. In both cases the spectra of the brightest X-ray emitting areas are characterized by temperatures of about 2 million K, whereas the spectra of the fainter diffuse regions are indicative of higher temperatures (T greater than about 4 million K) and suggest the presence of a second, hard component. These results, together with the correlation of the X-ray spatial distribution with the optical and radio maps, are discussed in terms of current models of supernova remnant evolution. The evidence suggests that the Cygnus Loop is the result of a Type II supernova of a star of initial mass of less than about 20 solar masses.