On cosmic-ray production efficiency at su0pernova remnant shocks propagating into realistic diffuse interstellar medium

Abstract

Using three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulations, we show that the efficiency of cosmic-ray (CR) production in supernova remnants is over-predicted if it could be estimated based on proper motion measurements of Hα filaments in combination with shock-jump conditions. Density fluctuations of the upstream medium cause shock waves to be rippled and oblique almost everywhere. The kinetic energy of the shock wave is transferred into downstream turbulence as well as thermal energy related to the shock velocity component normal to the shock surface. Our synthetic observation shows that the CR acceleration efficiency, as estimated from a lower downstream plasma temperature, is overestimated by 10%-40% because a rippled shock does not immediately dissipate all of the upstream kinetic energy.