Discovery of Kolmogorov-like Magnetic Energy Spectrum in Tycho's Supernova Remnant by Two-point Correlations of Synchrotron Intensity

TL;DR

This study analyzes the magnetic energy spectrum in Tycho's supernova remnant using two-point correlation functions of synchrotron intensity, revealing a Kolmogorov-like turbulence spectrum indicative of shock-induced magnetic turbulence.

Contribution

It applies a correlation analysis method to a spherical shell supernova remnant to uncover the magnetic energy spectrum, demonstrating a Kolmogorov-like scaling in this context.

Findings

Magnetic energy spectrum in Tycho's SNR follows Kolmogorov-like scaling.

Turbulence likely developed downstream of the shock front.

Results can be tested with future high-resolution observations.

Abstract

The spectral slope of the magnetic energy in supernova remnants (SNRs) can be obtained by analysis of spatial two-point correlation functions of synchrotron intensities. This method has been originally developed for the analysis of magnetic field structure in diffuse interstellar medium and applied when the geometry of the emission region is simple and known. In this paper, applying this correlation analysis to Tycho's SNR, for which the synchrotron emission region is known to be a spherical shell, we find that the magnetic energy spectrum shows the Kolmogorov-like scaling. Our results can be explained by turbulence developed downstream of the shock front via Richtmyer-Meshkov instability or an amplification of upstream magnetic field induced by cosmic rays. They could be discriminated by future observations with a sub arcsecond resolution such as Square Kilometer Array.