The properties of non-thermal X-ray filaments in young supernova remnants

TL;DR

This study compares models of non-thermal X-ray filaments in young supernova remnants, showing that spectral differences above 1 keV can distinguish between magnetic damping and electron energy-loss mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides a method to observationally test different models of X-ray filaments using spectral analysis of supernova remnants.

Findings

Spectral differences above 1 keV are more pronounced in the damping model.

Magnetic damping can cause observable spectral differences.

The approach helps discriminate between filament formation models.

Abstract

Context. Young supernova remnants (SNRs) exhibit narrow filaments of non-thermal X-ray emission whose widths can be limited either by electron energy losses or damping of the magnetic field. Aims. We want to investigate whether or not different models of these filaments can be observationally tested. Methods. Using observational parameters of four historical remnants, we calculate the filament profiles and compare the spectra of the filaments with those of the total non-thermal emission. For that purpose, we solve an one-dimensional stationary transport equation for the isotropic differential number density of the electrons. Results. We find that the difference between the spectra of filament and total non-thermal emission above 1 keV is more pronounced in the damping model than in the energy-loss model. Conclusions. A considerable damping of the magnetic field can result in an observable difference between the spectra of filament and total non-thermal emission, thus potentially permitting an observational discrimination between the energy-loss model and the damping model of the X-ray filaments.