# On the nature of radio filaments near the Galactic Center

## TL;DR

This paper proposes that narrow radio filaments near the Galactic Center are caused by kinetic jets from pulsar wind nebulae, linking them to pulsar activity and Galactic winds, and predicts observable structural variations.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel model where radio filaments are kinetic jets from PWNe, explaining their morphology and connection to pulsars and Galactic winds.

## Key findings

- Radio filaments are linked to pulsar wind nebulae and magnetic reconnection.
- The model predicts structural variations on decade-long timescales.
- Filaments are associated with pulsars responsible for the Fermi GeV excess.

## Abstract

We suggest that narrow, long radio filaments near the Galactic Center arise as kinetic jets - streams of high energy particles escaping from ram-pressure confined pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). The reconnection between the PWN and interstellar magnetic field allows pulsar wind particles to escape, creating long narrow features. They are the low frequency analogs of kinetic jets seen around some fast-moving pulsars, such as The Guitar and The Lighthouse PWNe. The radio filaments trace a population of pulsars also responsible for the Fermi GeV excess produced by the Inverse Compton scattering by the pulsar wind particles. The magnetic flux tubes are stretched radially by the large scale Galactic winds. In addition to PWNe accelerated particles can be injected at supernovae remnants. The model predicts variations of the structure of the largest filaments on scales of $\sim$ dozens of years - smaller variations can occur on shorter time scales. We also encourage targeted observations of the brightest sections of the filaments and of the related unresolved point sources in search of the powering PWNe and pulsars.