Supernova Remnants interacting with molecular clouds: X-ray and Gama-ray signatures

SLANE, P., BYKOV, A., ELLISON, D., DUBNER, G., CASTRO, D.

Multi-scale structure formation and dynamics in cosmic plasmas

Springer

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2016; p. 187 - 211

Abstract The giant molecular clouds (MCs) found in the Milky Way and similar galaxiesplay a crucial role in the evolution of these systems. The supernova explosions that markthe death of massive stars in these regions often lead to interactions between the supernovaremnants (SNRs) and the clouds. These interactions have a profound effect on our understandingof SNRs. Shocks in SNRs should be capable of accelerating particles to cosmicray (CR) energies with efficiencies high enough to power Galactic CRs. X-ray and γ -raystudies have established the presence of relativistic electrons and protons in some SNRs andprovided strong evidence for diffusive shock acceleration as the primary acceleration mechanism,including strongly amplified magnetic fields, temperature and ionization effects onthe shock-heated plasmas, and modifications to the dynamical evolution of some systems.