First-look XMM-Newton EPIC observations of the prototypical starburst galaxy M82

We present initial XMM–Newton EPIC observations of the prototypical starburst galaxy M82. The superwind is seen to extend continuously from the starburst region to the X-ray emission associated with the Hα‘cap’. We also find evidence for a ridge feature, probably associated with the superwind interacting with an H I streamer. Narrow-band images, centred on individual X-ray lines, show differences in morphology, with higher energy lines being less spatially extended, and a systematic shift with energy in the region of peak emission. Spectral fits with two thermal and one power-law component provide a good fit to the spectra of the nuclear and inner wind regions, indicating a multiphase superwind. We discuss the implications of these observations on our understanding of superwinds.