Evidence of a Curved Cosmic-Ray Electron Spectrum in the Supernova Remnant SN 1006

Details Evidence of a Curved Cosmic-Ray Electron Spectrum in the Supernova Remnant SN 1006 Evidence of a Curved Cosmic-Ray Electron Spectrum in the Supernova Remnant SN 1006

Sep 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006head....9.0111a&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, HEAD meeting #9, #1.11; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.330

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

A joint spectral analysis of Chandra ACIS X-ray data and MOST radio data was
performed for thirteen small regions along the bright northeastern rim of
the supernova remnant SN 1006. These data were fitted with a synchrotron
radiation model. The nonthermal electron spectrum used to compute the
photon emission spectra is the traditional exponentially cut-off power law
with one notable difference. The power-law index is not a constant. It is a
linear function of the logarithm of the momentum. This functional form
enables us to show, for the first time, that the electron spectrum of SN
1006 seems to flatten with increasing energy. At 1 GeV (i.e.
radio-synchrotron-emitting momenta), the power-law index is about 2.2. At
10 TeV (i.e. X-ray-synchrotron-emitting momenta), the index is about 2.0.
This result is qualitatively consistent with theoretical models of the
amount of curvature in the proton spectrum of the remnant and implies that
cosmic rays are dynamically important instead of being "test" particles.
The spectral analysis also provides a means of determining the critical
frequency of the synchrotron spectrum associated with the highest energy
electrons. The critical frequency seems to vary along the northeastern rim
with a maximum value of 1.04e17 Hz. This value implies that the electron
diffusion coefficient can be no larger than a factor of about 4-20 times the
Bohm diffusion coefficient if the velocity of the forward shock is in the
range 2300-5000 km/s. Since the coefficient is close to the Bohm limit,
electrons are accelerated nearly as fast as possible in the regions where
the critical frequency is about 1e17 Hz.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Evidence of a Curved Cosmic-Ray Electron Spectrum in the Supernova Remnant SN 1006 does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Evidence of a Curved Cosmic-Ray Electron Spectrum in the Supernova Remnant SN 1006, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Evidence of a Curved Cosmic-Ray Electron Spectrum in the Supernova Remnant SN 1006 will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1080199