Issue |
A&A
Volume 421, Number 3, July III 2004
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 1021 - 1030 | |
Section | Interstellar and circumstellar matter | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20034554 | |
Published online | 29 June 2004 |
Non-thermal X-ray emission from young supernova remnants
1
Astronomical Institute, Utrecht University, PO Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
2
FOM-Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
Corresponding author: E. van der Swaluw, swaluw@rijnh.nl
Received:
21
October
2003
Accepted:
8
March
2004
The Galactic (nucleonic)
cosmic-ray spectrum up to the knee ( eV) is attributed to
acceleration processes that take place near the external shocks around
supernova remnants (SNRs).
Theoretical predictions based on the theory of diffusive shock acceleration
give a similar estimate for the maximum particle energy that
can be reached at these shocks:
eV. Electrons with energies
eV radiate X-ray photons in the ~
G
magnetic fields present in many young SNRs. These electrons near the knee
give rise to a non-thermal X-ray component in the spectrum of young supernova
remnants. Recent observations of SN1006 and G347.3-0.5 confirm this prediction.
We have combined hydrodynamical calculations of the evolution of a young remnant
with an algorithm that simultaneously calculates the acceleration of electrons,
their radiation losses and the synchrotron spectrum of a young supernova remnant.
The electrons are treated using a test-particle approximation.
We give a semi-analytical estimate of the maximum electron energy and
typical synchrotron frequencies for young remnants at the end of the free-expansion
stage of their evolution.
We present spectra of the energy distribution of the electrons
in a young supernova remnant, and construct a synchrotron map
in the X-ray domain, assuming Bohm diffusion within the remnant and a
shock-compressed magnetic field.
Key words: ISM: cosmic rays / ISM: supernova remnants / shock waves / acceleration of particles
© ESO, 2004
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