Vortical Amplification of the Magnetic Field at an Inward Shock of Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A

F. Fraschetti, S. Katsuda, T. Sato, J. R. Jokipii, J. Giacalone

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present an interpretation of the time variability of the x-ray flux recently reported from a multiepoch campaign of 15 years of observations of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A by Chandra. We show for the first time quantitatively that the [4.2-6] keV nonthermal flux increase up to 50% traces the growth of the magnetic field due to a vortical amplification mechanism at a reflection inward shock colliding with inner overdensities. The fast synchrotron cooling as compared with shock-acceleration time scale qualitatively supports the flux decrease.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number251101
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume120
Issue number25
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 21 2018

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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