Polarization of X-ray emission from the Sgr B2 cloud
Abstract
The Sgr B2 giant molecular cloud is claimed to be an `X-ray reflection nebula'- the reprocessing site of a powerful flare of the Sgr A* source, which occurred a few hundred years ago. The shape of the X-ray spectrum and the strength of the iron fluorescent line support this hypothesis. We argue that the cleanest test of the origin of X-rays from Sgr B2 would be a detection of polarized emission from this source.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- March 2002
- DOI:
- 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05113.x
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0111065
- Bibcode:
- 2002MNRAS.330..817C
- Keywords:
-
- POLARIZATION;
- SCATTERING;
- ISM: INDIVIDUAL: SGR B2;
- GALAXY: CENTRE;
- X-RAYS: GENERAL;
- polarization;
- scattering;
- ISM: individual: Sgr B2;
- Galaxy: centre;
- X-rays: general;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 4 pages, 2 figures, accepted by MNRAS