Cosmic-ray electron propagation in the peculiar barred spiral galaxy NGC 2442

Abstract: Face-on spiral galaxies offer a favorable geometry for studying magnetic-field structures and cosmic-ray (CR) propagation because projection effects and structural overlap are reduced. We investigate cosmic-ray electron (CRE) transport in the nearby face-on spiral galaxy NGC 2442 and assess how its environment and magnetic-field structure influence propagation. We combine radio continuum (RC) observations from ASKAP at 943 MHz, MeerKAT at 1.28 and 1.7 GHz, and ATCA at 5 GHz with optical H$α$ and infrared data, and compare them with 2D CRE transport simulations. NGC 2442 has a steep integrated RC spectrum, with $α=-0.96\pm0.04$ for the total emission and $α_{\rm nt}=-1.21\pm0.04$ for the synchrotron emission over 408 MHz-5 GHz. A break near 1 GHz indicates substantial radiative aging. Under equipartition, we derive a mean magnetic-field strength of $10.8\,μ{\rm G}$. RC-SFR smoothing gives effective CRE propagation lengths of $\sim0.65$-$0.89$ kpc at 943-1700 MHz and $\sim0.44$ kpc at 5 GHz, corresponding to diffusion coefficients of order $10^{28}\,{\rm cm<sup>2\,s<sup>{-1}}$. We identify a steep-spectrum synchrotron ``island'' in the southeast, with $α\sim-1.09$ and no clear H$α$, infrared, FUV, or NUV counterpart, indicating that CREs are unlikely to be injected in situ. Our 2D CRPropa simulations show that anisotropic diffusion along ordered magnetic fields enables CREs to reach the island more efficiently than isotropic diffusion. NGC 2442 therefore shows that environmental disturbances and ordered magnetic fields can strongly regulate CRE propagation in disturbed spiral galaxies.