Particle Acceleration and Magnetic Fields: Looking at the Northwestern Rim of RCW 86 with Chandra
Abstract
Non-thermal X-ray emission has been detected from several young shell-type supernova remnants (SNRs), including RX J1713.7-3946, and Vela Jr. These X-rays are believed to be synchrotron radiation from electrons accelerated to TeV energies at the shocks, interacting with the compressed, and possibly amplified, local magnetic field. Observations of gamma-ray emission from several SNRs in the TeV range confirm that particles are being accelerated to energies approaching the knee of the cosmic ray spectrum in these remnants. However, while it is broadly believed that diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) in SNRs produces the bulk of cosmic rays below 1 PeV, we still lack a detailed understanding of the acceleration process and its effects on the the system, such as magnetic field amplification and modifications to hydrodynamic evolution. I will report on our recent observations of the NW rim of SNR RCW 86 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This deep look into this SNR allowed us to constrain the magnitude of the post-shock magnetic field in several different regions of the NW rim, where it is significantly amplified relative to the usual ambient fields expected. I will discuss our analysis in detail and comment on how MFA appears to be related to certain characteristics of the SNR shock.
- Publication:
-
AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #14
- Pub Date:
- August 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014HEAD...1412017C