X-ray synchrotron-emitting Fe-rich ejecta in supernova remnant RCW 86

Supernova remnants may exhibit both thermal and nonthermal X-ray emission. In a previous study with ASCA data, we found that the middle-aged supernova remnant RCW 86 showed evidence for both processes, and we predicted that observations with much higher spatial resolution would distinguish harder X-rays, which we proposed were primarily synchrotron emission, from softer, thermal X-rays. Here we describe Chandra observations that amply confirm our predictions. Striking differences in the morphology of X-rays below 1 keV and above 2 keV point to a different physical origin. Hard X-ray emission is correlated fairly well with the edges of regions of radio emission, suggesting that these are the locations of shock waves at which both short-lived X-ray emitting electrons and longer lived radio-emitting electrons are accelerated. Soft X-rays are spatially well correlated with optical emission from nonradiative shocks, which are almost certainly portions of the outer blast wave. These soft X-rays are well fitted with simple thermal plane-shock models. Harder X-rays show Fe Kalpha emission and are well described with a similar soft thermal component, but a much stronger synchrotron continuum dominating above 2 keV, and a strong Fe Kalpha line. Quantitative analysis of this line and the surrounding continuum shows that it cannot be produced by thermal emission from a cosmic-abundance plasma; the ionization time is too short, as shown by both the low centroid energy (6.4 keV) and the absence of oxygen lines below 1 keV. Instead, a model of a plane shock in Fe-rich ejecta, with a synchrotron continuum, provides a natural explanation. This requires that reverse shocks in ejecta be accelerating electrons to energies of order 50 TeV. We show that maximum energies of this order can be produced by radiation-limited diffusive shock acceleration at the reverse shocks. In the Appendix, we demonstrate that an explanation of the continuum as being due to nonthermal bremsstrahlung is unlikely.