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Why is synchrotron radiation from supernova remnants polarized?

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Detail of the Cygnus Loop.This nebula is the product of a supernova explosion; in this section, the blast wave has encountered an area of dense interstellar gas, creating turbulence in the wave and causing it to glow. The picture is a composite of three images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. — Supernova remnant Detail of the Cygnus Loop.
This nebula is the product of a supernova explosion; in this section, the blast wave has encountered an area of dense interstellar gas, creating turbulence in the wave and causing it to glow. The picture is a composite of three images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Synchrotron radiation from supernova remnants is highly polarized because it is produced by high-energy electrons spiraling through a magnetic field at speeds approaching the speed of light.21

As these charged particles move along the lines of force within the magnetic field, their paths are continuously altered, causing them to emit electromagnetic energy. Because this emission is generated by particles constrained to move in a specific orientation relative to the magnetic field lines, the resulting radiation exhibits a high degree of polarization. This process is a form of nonthermal radiation, meaning it is not dependent on the temperature of the astronomical source, but rather on the strength of the magnetic field and the energy of the charged particles involved.21