Hybrid simulation of collisionless shock waves using the PIC-method

We present a 2D hybrid numerical plasma model for the simulation of the physical processes in supernova remnant shock precursor. In simulation, a shock is generated by sending a supersonic ow against a reflecting wall. The interaction between the incoming and reflected streams produces a sharp discontinuity, which moves away from the wall. The hybrid approach reduces computer costs relative to a fully kinetic approach while treating ions with a greater accuracy than MHD allows. Another important advantage of the hybrid approach is a possibility to study important instabilities on the ion time scale, neglecting the high-frequency modes associated with electrons. The new numerical model to investigate the processes of particle acceleration on the front of a shock wave is presented.