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Shock effects in the interstellar medium

Other high-energy processes linked with YSOs may also affect the dense interstellar medium beyond the immediate YSO environment owing to shocks from energetic outflows and winds. The nonthermal radio emission of the outflows of T Tauri South and the Serpens triple source indicate that electron acceleration can be efficient in YSO jets (§3.5). Diffusive shock acceleration can also accelerate protons and heavier particles. Such effects from many mass-losing YSOs might produce excesses of low-energy cosmic rays in molecular cloud complex, producing spallation reactions near the energy threshold and resulting in diffuse nuclear gamma-ray and X-ray emission lines with identifiable spectral properties (Ip 1995, Tatischeff et al 1998).



Eric D. Feigelson
1999-12-24