X-ray emission components of the grand-design spiral galaxy NGC 6946

We propose to complete our sensitive XMMNewton survey of the granddesign Scdfaceon spiral galaxy NGC 6946. This galaxy is remarkable due to its high starformation activity, its massive northern spiral arm and the magnetic arms,located between the optical arms, possibly magnetic reconnection regions. StrongFaraday depolarization of the polarized radio emission from the disc indicatesan extended halo of ionized gas around NGC 6946. We wish to use XMMNewtonobservations to disentangle and characterize the emission from Xray pointsources and extended hot gas from the disc, the magnetic arms and the halo.The origin of the puzzling ultraluminous emission complex MF16 will also beinvestigated. truncated!, Please see actual data for full text [truncated!, Please see actual data for full text]