Cosmic-Ray Feedback from Supernovae in a Parker-Unstable Medium
Abstract
Supernova energy drives interstellar medium (ISM) turbulence and can help launch galactic winds. What difference does it make if of the energy is initially deposited into cosmic rays? To answer this question and study cosmic-ray feedback, we perform galactic patch simulations of a stratified ISM. We compare two magnetohydrodynamic and cosmic ray (MHD+CR) simulations, which are identical except for how each supernova's energy is injected. In one, of the energy is injected as cosmic-ray energy. In the other case, energy injection is strictly thermal and kinetic. We find that cosmic-ray injections drive a faster, hotter, and more massive outflow long after the injections occur. Both simulations show the formation of cold clouds (with a total mass fraction ) through the Parker instability and thermal instability. The Parker instability simultaneously produces high mass loading factors as it requires few supernovae. We also show how the Parker instability naturally leads to a decorrelation of cosmic-ray pressure and gas density. This decorrelation leads to a significant decrease in the calorimetric fraction for injected cosmic rays, but it depends on having a highly resolved magnetic field.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2412.12249,
title = {Cosmic-Ray Feedback from Supernovae in a Parker-Unstable Medium},
author = {Roark Habegger and Ellen G. Zweibel},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2412.12249},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
27 pages, 19 figures, revision after peer review submitted to ApJ. Comments welcome!