Energetic Particles of Cosmic Accelerators I: Galactic Accelerators

Abstract

The high-energy universe has revealed that energetic particles are ubiquitous in the cosmos and play a vital role in the cultivation of cosmic environments on all scales. Energetic particles in our own galaxy, galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), engage in a complex interplay with the interstellar medium and magnetic fields in the galaxy, giving rise to many of its key characteristics. This White Paper is the first of a two-part series highlighting the most well-known high-energy cosmic accelerators and contributions that MeV gamma-ray astronomy will bring to understanding their energetic particle phenomena. The focus of this white paper is galactic cosmic rays, supernova remnants, protostellar jets and superbubbles, and colliding wind binaries.