Probing Shock Properties with Non-thermal X-ray Filaments in Cas A

Abstract

Thin non-thermal X-ray filaments are often seen in young supernova remnants. We used data from the 1 Ms Chandra observation of Cassiopeia A to study spectral properties of some of the filaments in this remnant. For all the cases that we examined, the X-ray spectrum across the filaments hardens, at about 10% level, going outward, while observed filament widths depend only weakly on the photon energy. Using a model that includes radiative cooling, advection and diffusion of accelerated particles behind the shock, we estimated the magnetic field, turbulence level and shock obliquity.

21 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (6)

• Fermi-LAT Discovery of Extended Gamma-ray Emission in the Direction of Supernova Remnant W51C
• Fast Variability of Nonthermal X-Ray Emission in Cassiopeia A: Probing Electron Acceleration in Reverse-Shocked Ejecta
• Cosmic ray diffusion near the Bohm limit in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant
• Small-Scale X-ray Variability in the Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant
• Evidence for Cosmic Ray Acceleration in Cassiopeia A
• The Circumstellar Medium of Cassiopeia A Inferred from the Outer Ejecta Knot Properties

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• A Comparison of X-ray and Optical Emission in Cassiopeia A
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• Origin of gamma-ray emission in the shell of Cassiopeia A
• Dust survival rates in clumps passing through the Cas A reverse shock -- II. The impact of magnetic fields
• The properties of non-thermal X-ray filaments in young supernova remnants
• On the Nature of the TeV Emission from the SNR SN 1006
• Is Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A a PeVatron?
• The X-ray synchrotron rims in Cassiopeia A narrow with energy