Cosmic-ray acceleration efficiency versus temperature equilibration: The case of SNR 0509-67.5

Abstract

We study the 0509-67.5 supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud with the VLT/FORS2 spectrograph.We detect a broad component in the Ha emission with an FWHM of 2680±70 km s-1 and 3900±800 km s -1 for the southwest (SW) and northeast (NE) shocks, respectively. For the SW, the proton temperature appears to be too low for the shock velocity, which we attribute to a cosmic-ray pressure behind the shock front of at least 20% of the total pressure. For the NE, the post-shock proton temperature and the shock velocity are compatible, only if the plasma behind the shock front has a degree of thermal equilibrium of over 20%, which is at odds with current models for temperature equilibration behind fast shocks, which do not accelerate cosmic rays. If we assume the electron temperature to be less than 10% of the proton temperature, we find a post-shock cosmic-ray pressure of at least 7%. © 2010. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.