Kristy K. Dyer

Thermal and Nonthermal X-Ray Emission in Supernova Remnant RCW 86

Supernova remnants may exhibit both thermal and nonthermal X-ray emission. Such remnants can be distinguished by the weakness of their X-ray lines because of the presence of a strong nonthermal X-ray continuum. RCW 86 is a remnant with weak lines, resulting in low and peculiar abundances when thermal models alone are used to interpret its X-ray spectrum. This indicates the presence of a strong nonthermal synchrotron continuum. We analyze ASCA X-ray spectra of RCW 86 with the help of both nonequilibrium ionization thermal models and nonthermal synchrotron models. A two-temperature thermal model and a simple nonthermal model with an exponential cutoff (plus interstellar absorption) give reasonable results. We obtain a blast-wave velocity of 800 km s-1, a shock ionization age of 1 × 1011-3 × 1011 cm-3 s, and the break in nonthermal spectra at 2 × 1016-4 × 1016 Hz. The strength of the nonthermal continuum correlates well with the radio brightness in the bright southwest section of the remnant. This is convincing evidence for X-ray synchrotron emission in RCW 86.

Spatially varying X-ray synchrotron emission in SN 1006

A growing number of both galactic and extragalactic supernova remnants show non-thermal (non-plerionic) emission in the X-ray band. New synchrotron models, realized as SRESC and SRCUT in XSPEC 11, which use the radio spectral index and flux as inputs and include the full single-particle emissivity, have demonstrated that synchrotron emission is capable of producing the spectra of dominantly non-thermal supernova remnants with interesting consequences for residual thermal abundances and acceleration of particles. In addition, these models deliver a much better-constrained separation between the thermal and non-thermal components, whereas combining an unconstrained powerlaw with modern thermal models can produce a range of acceptable fits. While synchrotron emission can be approximated by a powerlaw over small ranges of energy, the synchrotron spectrum is in fact steepening over the X-ray band. Having demonstrated that the integrated spectrum of SN 1006, a remnant dominated by non-thermal emission, is well ...

Low Frequency Insights into Supernova Remnants

Low frequency observations at 330 and 74 MHz can provide new insights into supernova remnants (SNR). We can test theoretical predictions for spectral index variations. Nonlinear models of shock acceleration predict that the spectra from young SNR should be slightly concave rather than power laws — flattening toward higher energies. However, few SNR are bright and compact enough to be studied at millimeter wavelengths, restricting studies to the small range from 6 to 20 cm (a factor of 1.7 in electron energies). Observations at 330 MHz increase the electron energy baseline to a factor of 4, while providing sensitivity to larger spatial scales that are resolved out by centimeter-wavelength interferometers. Such observations can also separate thermal from nonthermal emission and detect excess free-free absorption associated with cool gas in remnants. Wide field images also provide an efficient census of both thermal and nonthermal sources over a large region.

New models for X-ray synchrotron radiation from the remnant of supernova 1006 AD

Galactic cosmic rays up to energies of around 1015 eV are assumed to originate in supernova remnants (SNRs). The shock wave of a young SNR like SN 1006 AD can accelerate electrons to energies greater than 1 TeV, where they can produce synchrotron radiation in the X-ray band. A new model (SRESC) designed to model synchrotron X-rays from Type Ia supernovae can constrain values for the magnetic-field strength and electron scattering properties, with implications for the acceleration of the unseen ions which dominate the cosmic-ray energetics. New observations by ASCA, ROSAT, and RXTE have provided enormously improved data, which now extend to higher X-ray energies. These data allow much firmer constraints. We will describe model fits to these new data on SN 1006 AD, emphasizing the physical constraints that can be placed on SNRs and on the cosmic-ray acceleration process.