Structure Shocks as a Source of Cosmic Rays in Clusters

Abstract

Shocks are a ubiquitous consequence of cosmic structure formation, and they play an essential role in heating galaxy cluster media. Virtually all of the gas in clusters has been processed by one or more shocks of at least moderate strength. These are collisionless shocks, so likely sites for diffusive shock acceleration of high energy particles. We have carried out numerical simulations of cosmic structure formation that directly include acceleration and transport of nonthermal protons, as well as primary and secondary electrons. Nonthermal emissions have also been computed from the resulting particle spatial and energy distributions. Here we outline some of our current findings, showing that nonthermal protons may contribute a significant pressure in cluster media, and that expected radio, X-ray and $γ$-ray emissions from these populations should be important cluster diagnostics.