The radio dynamical evolution of young supernova remnants

Numerical models of young supernova remnants (SNRs) are calculated using a spherically symmetric magnetohydrodynamic code to determine the effects of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities on the radio properties of young SNRs. The instabilities arise from the deceleration of the remnant as it moves through an inhomogeneous medium. After accounting for momentum interactions, the resultant energy of the instability is sufficient to amplify ambient magnetic fields to strengths comparable to those found in yound SNRs. The effects of varying the initial explosion energy, mass ejected, and interstellar density on the flux and surface brightness are investigated. Under the assumption that a supply of relativistic electrons is present, the temporal evolution of the flux density and surface brightness has been calculated. Graphs of surface brightness versus remnant radius are also presented, and the dynamical evolution of the radio shell is investigated as a function of the initial parameters.