Scientific Seminars

Supenova remnants as cosmic ray factories: recent observations and new theoretical insights

G. Morlino
INAF-OA Arcetri

2012-02-16    15.00    Merate - POE

We review the basic features of particle acceleration theory around collision-less shocks in supernova remnants (SNRs). We show how non linear e ffects induced by the back reaction of accelerated particles onto the shock dynamics are of paramount importance to support the hipotesys that SNRs are the factories of Galactic cosmic rays. Recent developments in the modeling of the mechanism of di usive shock acceleration are discussed, with emphasis on the role of magnetic field ampli cation and the presence of neutrals in the circumstellar environment. Special attention will be devoted to observational consequences of non linear e ffects on the multi-wavelength spectrum of SNRs, with emphasis on X-ray and gamma-ray emission. Finally we also discuss how Balmer lines, detected from several young SNRs, can be used to estimate the shock dynamical properties and the effciency of CR acceleration.