SHAO Astrophysics Colloquia

Title: Acceleration of High-energy Particles in Supernova Remnants

Speaker: Prof. Siming Liu (Purple Mountain Observatory)

Time: 3 PM, Dec. 15 (Thursday)  

Location: Lecture Hall, 3rd floor  

Abstract: Supernova remnants (SNRs) are considered the dominant contributors to Galactic cosmic rays. Although there is increasing evidence that shock of SNRs can indeed accelerate particles to hundreds of TeV,  this standard paradigm for high-energy particle acceleration in SNRs is far from complete. Outstanding issues include 1) gradual hardening of radio spectral index with the aging of SNRs, 2) the relative acceleration of electrons and protons, 3) importance of particle acceleration at the forward shock, reverse shock, and shock downstream. I will discuss how future multi-wavelength and cosmic ray observations, in combination with comprehensive modeling, may help to address these issues.