Synchrotron polarization with a partially random magnetic field: general approach, and application to X-ray polarization from SNRs

TL;DR

This paper develops a general numerical approach to analyze synchrotron polarization in X-ray emissions from supernova remnants, considering complex magnetic field structures and particle energy distributions, enhancing interpretation of IXPE data.

Contribution

It introduces an optimized numerical scheme to extend polarization analysis to non-power-law particle distributions and mixed magnetic fields, applicable to X-ray observations of SNRs.

Findings

Analytical formulas are good approximations for cutoff distributions.

SN 1006 data favors a predominantly random, anisotropic magnetic field.

Compression effects on magnetic fields are studied for mid-age SNRs.

Abstract

Diagnostics based on the polarization properties of the synchrotron emission can provide precious information on both the ordered structure and the random level of the magnetic field. While this issue has been already analysed in the radio, the polarization data recently obtained by the mission IXPE have shown the need to extend this analysis to the X-rays. While our immediate target are young SNRs, the scope of this analysis is wider. We aim at extending the analysis to particle energy distributions more complex than a power law, as well as to investigate a wider range of cases involving a composition of ordered and random magnetic fields. Since only in a limited number of cases an analytical approach is possible, we have devised to this purpose an optimised numerical scheme, and we have directly used it to investigate particle energy distributions in the form of a power law with an exponential, or super-exponential cutoff. We have also considered a general combination of a ordered field plus an anisotropic random component. We have shown that the previously derived analytic formulae, valid for power-law distributions, may be good approximations of the polarization degree also in the more general case with a cutoff, as typically seen in X-rays. We have explicitly analysed the young SNRs SN 1006, Tycho and Cas A. In particular, for SN 1006, we have proved the consistency between the radio and X-ray polarization degrees, favouring the case of predominantly random field, with an anisotropic distribution. In addition, for the power-law case, we have investigated the effect of a compression on both ordered and random magnetic field components, aimed at describing the mid-age radio SNRs. This work allows a more efficient exploitation of radio and X-ray measurements of the synchrotron polarization, and is addressed to present observations with IXPE as well as to future projects.