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C. E. Rakowski, P. Ghavamian, J. P. Hughes, T. B. Williams (Rutgers University)
In a small sub-sample of SNRs, the X-ray and radio emission from the blast wave is accompanied by optical (Balmer) line emission. The line profiles of these Balmer-dominated spectra provide a direct measurement of the proton temperature at the shock front, thus also placing stringent limits on the shock velocity. Combining this with the Chandra X-ray measured electron temperature provides a powerful method of probing the physics of collisionless shocks. However, of the known Balmer-dominated SNRs (Tycho, SN 1006, RCW 86, etc.) the LMC remnant DEM L71 is virtually unique in that prominent Balmer emission is seen along its entire periphery. Therefore, in DEM L71 we can study the electron-proton equilibration as a function of shock speed, under fairly uniform conditions, around a large fraction of the outer blast wave. Here we present the latest results of our Chandra/ Fabry-Perot study of DEM L71. We have investigated the electron temperature as a function of distance behind the shock under a range of reasonable assumptions about the geometry and initial electron-ion temperature equilibrations. We then compared these results to the optically measured proton temperature for various portions of the outer blast wave, and determined the initial electron-proton equilibration as a function of the velocity of the shock.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.