Balmer-Dominated Shocks: A Concise Review
  A concise and critical review of Balmer-dominated shocks (BDSs) is presented,
summarizing the state of theory and observations, including models with/without
shock precursors and their synergy with atomic physics. Observations of BDSs in
supernova remnants are reviewed on an object-by-object basis. The relevance of
BDSs towards understanding the acceleration of cosmic rays in shocks is
emphasized. Probable and possible detections of BDSs in astrophysical objects
other than supernova remnants, including pulsar wind nebulae and high-redshift
galaxies, are described. The case for the continued future of studying BDSs in
astrophysics is made, including their relevance towards understanding
electron-ion temperature equilibration in collisionless shocks.
