POLARIZED RADIO FILAMENTS IN THE VELA-X SUPERNOVA REMNANT

The radio-bright Vela X component of the Vela supernova remnant (SNR) was mapped in total intensity and in polarization at 8.4 GHz with 3-ar cmin resolution. Prominent filamentary structure (unrelated to the opt ical filaments) is seen in the polarization image and to a lesser exte nt in total intensity. The filaments are highly polarized, with magnet ic fields directed along the filaments. They have moderate Faraday rot ation (mean RM similar to 44 rad m(-2)) and little depolarization. Com parison with data at 5 and 2.7 GHz suggests that the overall spectral index is typical of a SNR and relatively uniform throughout the region .