SDSS-V LVM: Collisionless Shocks in the Supernova Remnant RCW86

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution IFU observations to analyze collisionless shocks in the supernova remnant RCW86, revealing details about shock velocities, electron-ion equilibration, and neutral gas interactions, advancing understanding of shock physics.

Contribution

First spatially-resolved IFU observations of RCW86's shock, providing new insights into shock velocities, electron-ion temperature ratios, and neutral precursor effects.

Findings

Shock velocities range from 500-1500 km/s.

Electron-ion equilibration is low in faster shocks.

Detection of an intermediate Hα component suggesting a neutral precursor.

Abstract

The supernova remnant (SNR) RCW86 is among the few SNRs with Balmer-emission lines containing broad and narrow spectral components that trace fast, non-radiative shocks in partially-ionized gas.\ These are invaluable laboratories for collisionless shock physics, especially for poorly-understood phenomena like electron-ion equilibration, and shock precursors. Here we present the first $\sim$0.3 pc spatial scale integral field unit (IFU) observations of the southwestern RCW86 shock, obtained as part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-V Local Volume Mapper (SDSS-V LVM). The forward shock, clearly visible as thin filaments in narrowband images, have broad H$\alpha$ components, indicating shock velocities varying from 500--900 km/s in the south to 1000--1500 km/s in the north. The varying velocity widths and broad-to-narrow intensity ratios show that electrons and ions have lower equilibration ($T_e/T_p \rightarrow 0.1$) in faster ($>$800 km/s) shocks, in line with previous studies. The broad components are generally redshifted from the narrow components by $\lesssim$100 km/s, likely due to shock-obliquity or non-Maxwellian post-shock distributions. We observe high extinction-corrected Balmer-decrements of 3--5 in the narrow components, indicating that conversion of Ly$\beta$ photons to H$\alpha$ is more efficient than Ly$\gamma$ to H$\beta$. Broad HeII$\lambda$4686 was marginally ($\gtrsim$2$\sigma$) detected in the southern shock, meaning the shock is impacting gas with high ($>$30--100\%) neutral fraction. We also find the first evidence of an intermediate H$\alpha$ component in RCW86, with $\Delta$V(FWHM) = 193--207 km/s, likely due to a neutral precursor. We also briefly discuss the southwestern radiative shock, and lay out the exciting future of studying astrophysical shocks with LVM.