Non-thermal X-ray Emission from Supernova Remnants

Abstract

Recent studies of narrow, X-ray synchrotron radiating filaments surrounding young supernova remnants indicate that magnetic fields strengths are relatively high, B ~ 0.1 mG, or even higher, and that diffusion is close to the Bohm limit. I illustrate this using Cas A as an example. Also older remnants such as RCW 86 appear to emit X-ray synchrotron radiation, but the emission is more diffuse, and not always confined to a region close to the shock front. I argue that for RCW 86 the magnetic field is likely to be low (B ~ 17 microGauss), and at the location where the shell emits X-ray synchrotron radiation the shock velocity is much higher than the average shock velocity of ~600 km/s.

To be published in the proceedings of the "International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy" (Gamma-2004), Heidelberg, edited by F.A. Aharonian and H. Voelk (AIP, NY). This preprint version contains 13 pages, 5 figures (4 in color)

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