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Updated: May 14, 2026
10:09
Fast Imaging Technique to Study Drop Impact Dynamics of Non-Newtonian Fluids
Published on: March 5, 2014
An integral view of fast shocks around supernova 1006
Sladjana Nikolić1, Glenn van de Ven, Kevin Heng
1Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany. nikolic@mpia.de
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|February 16, 2013
Summary
Supernova remnants create powerful shocks that excite hydrogen lines. Observations reveal suprathermal protons, which may be the source of high-energy cosmic rays.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Plasma Physics
Background:
- Supernova remnants act as astrophysical pistons, expelling gas at high velocities (~1000 km/s).
- These explosions generate shocks in the interstellar medium, exciting hydrogen emission lines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To spatially and spectrally map shock structures in the northwestern rim of Supernova 1006.
- To investigate the physical conditions within these shocks, particularly the presence of suprathermal particles.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an optical integral-field spectrograph for high-resolution spatial-spectral mapping.
- Analyzed the two-component Hα line emission across 133 sky locations.
Main Results:
- Detected variations in Hα line widths and intensity ratios over tens of atomic mean free paths.
- Observed evidence for suprathermal protons within the shock regions.
Conclusions:
- The observed variations suggest the presence of suprathermal protons in supernova remnant shocks.
- These suprathermal protons are potential seed particles for the acceleration of high-energy cosmic rays.
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