2009/12/24 by Gilles Ferrand, A. Decourchelle, Anne Decourchelle +4 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Acceleration #Adiabatic process #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Classical mechanics #Cosmic ray #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Instability #Kinetic energy #Mechanics #Particle acceleration #Physics #Rayleigh–Taylor instability #Shock (circulatory) #Shock wave #Shock waves in astrophysics #Supernova #Supernova remnant #astro-ph.HE
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913666
accepted for publication in A&A (final version)
arxiv created 2009/12/24 · openalex publication_date 2010/01/01 · arxiv updated 2015/05/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
If a sizeable fraction of the energy of supernova remnant shocks is channeled into energetic particles (commonly identified with Galactic cosmic rays), then the morphological evolution of the remnants must be distinctly modified. Evidence of such modifications has been recently obtained with the <i>Chandra<i/> and <i>XMM-Newton<i/> X-ray satellites. To investigate these effects, we coupled a semi-analytical kinetic model of shock acceleration with a 3D hydrodynamic code (by means of an effective adiabatic index). This enables us to study the time-dependent compression of the region between the forward and reverse shocks due to the back reaction of accelerated particles, concomitantly with the development of the Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamic instability at the contact discontinuity. Density profiles depend critically on the injection level <i>η<i/> of particles: for modifications are weak and progressive, for modifications are strong and immediate. Nevertheless, the extension of the Rayleigh-Taylor unstable region does not depend on the injection rate. A first comparison of our simulations with observations of <i>Tycho<i/>'s remnant strengthens the case for efficient acceleration of protons at the forward shock.