The modified equipartition calculation for supernova remnants with the spectral index α = 0.5

Abstract

Recently, the modified equipartition calculation for supernova remnants (SNRs) has been derived by Arbutina et al. (2012). Their formulae can be used for SNRs with the spectral indices between 0.5 < α < 1. Here, by using approximately the same analytical method, we derive the equipartition formulae useful for SNRs with spectral index α=0.5. These formulae represent next step upgrade of Arbutina et al. (2012) derivation, because among 30 Galactic SNRs with available observational parameters for the equipartition calculation, 16 have spectral index α = 0.5. For these 16 Galactic SNRs we calculated the magnetic field strengths which are approximately 40 per cent higher than those calculated by using Pacholczyk (1970) equipartition and similar to those calculated by using Beck & Krause (2005) calculation.