Nikolic, SladjanaSladjanaNikolicvan de Ven, GlennGlennvan de VenHeng, KevinKevinHengKupko, DanielDanielKupkoHusemann, BerndBerndHusemannRaymond, JohnJohnRaymondHughes, JohnJohnHughesFalcon-Barroso, JesusJesusFalcon-Barroso2024-10-232024-10-232013-04https://boris-portal.unibe.ch/handle/20.500.12422/126891Supernova remnants are among the most spectacular examples of astrophysical pistons in our cosmic neighborhood. The gas expelled by the supernova explosion is launched with velocities ~1000 kilometers per second into the ambient, tenuous interstellar medium, producing shocks that excite hydrogen lines. We have used an optical integral-field spectrograph to obtain high-resolution spatial-spectral maps that allow us to study in detail the shocks in the northwestern rim of supernova 1006. The two-component Hα line is detected at 133 sky locations. Variations in the broad line widths and the broad-to-narrow line intensity ratios across tens of atomic mean free paths suggest the presence of suprathermal protons, the potential seed particles for generating high-energy cosmic rays.en500 - Science::520 - Astronomy500 - Science::530 - Physicsarticle10.7892/boris.5928810.1126/science.1228297