The properties of non-thermal X-ray filaments in young supernova remnants

Abstract

Context. Young supernova remnants (SNRs) exhibit narrow filaments of non-thermal X-ray emission whose widths can be limited either by electron energy losses or damping of the magnetic field. Aims. We want to investigate whether or not different models of these filaments can be observationally tested. Methods. Using observational parameters of four historical remnants, we calculate the filament profiles and compare the spectra of the filaments with those of the total non-thermal emission. For that purpose, we solve an one-dimensional stationary transport equation for the isotropic differential number density of the electrons. Results. We find that the difference between the spectra of filament and total non-thermal emission above 1 keV is more pronounced in the damping model than in the energy-loss model. Conclusions. A considerable damping of the magnetic field can result in an observable difference between the spectra of filament and total non-thermal emission, thus potentially permitting an observational discrimination between the energy-loss model and the damping model of the X-ray filaments.

9 pages, 4 figures, A&A, in press

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Cited by in corpus (11)

• Magnetic-Field Amplification in the Thin X-ray Rims of SN1006
• On particle acceleration and transport in plasmas in the Galaxy: theory and observations
• Analysis of GeV-band gamma-ray emission from SNR RX J1713.7-3946
• The properties of non-thermal X-ray filaments in young supernova remnants
• 3D simulations of the non-thermal broad-band emission from young supernova remnants including efficient particle acceleration
• Leptonic non-thermal emission from supernova remnants evolving in the circumstellar magnetic field
• Spatio-temporal evolution of the nonresonant instability in shock precursors of young supernova remnants
• Characterization of the GeV emission from the Kepler supernova remnant
• A spatially resolved study of hard X-ray emission in Kepler's SNR: indications of different regimes of particle acceleration
• Stochastic re-acceleration and magnetic-field damping in Tycho's supernova remnant
• Efficiencies of Magnetic-Field Amplification and Electron Acceleration in Young Supernova Remnants: Global Averages and Kepler's Supernova Remnant