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    PR # 32130                                                                   
     Our prior ROSAT and VLA observations have shown that the compact,           
     radio-bright SNR G41.1--0.3 (3C397) has an age less than about 3000         
     yr and an X-ray morphology closely resembling the radio.  G41.1 is          
     thus ideally placed for a study of the transition from                      
     ejecta-dominated objects to blast-wave dominated.  We propose to use        
     an ASCA spectrum to improve the age determination, check for NEI            
     effects, obtain a mean temperature, search for nonthermal or                
     high-temperature spectral components, and search for abundance              
     anomalies. We expect to be able to use ASCA's spatial resolution to l       
     ook for differences between the bright, unresolved limb and the     i       
     nterior, which might conceivably contain a pulsar.                          
                                                                                 
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