Thermal and non-thermal coexistence in the southeastern diffuse-emission region

Determine whether thermal and non-thermal X-ray components coexist in the southeastern hard diffuse-emission region associated with scattered radiation from the magnetar CXO 164710.2−455217.

Background

The paper interprets the southeastern hard diffuse X-ray emission as likely originating from radiation scattered by the magnetar CXO 164710.2−455217. However, the authors acknowledge that the available observations do not definitively exclude a mixture of thermal and non-thermal emission in the same region. This leaves the physical origin of any residual hard component unresolved, despite the broader analysis finding no statistically significant improvement from adding a power-law component and deriving only an upper limit on synchrotron emission.

References

While the south-eastern hard diffuse X-ray emission is likely associated with scattered radiation from the magnetar CXO 164710.2−455217, we cannot rule out the presence of a combination of thermal and non-thermal components coexisting within the same region.

— EWOCS VII : Unveiling the faint diffuse X-ray emission in Westerlund 1  (2608.21076 - F. et al., 21 Aug 2026) in Section 6, opening paragraph of “Nature of the emission”