Related papers: An eigenfunction method for particle acceleration …
In this third paper of a series, we discuss the physics of the population of accelerated particles in the precursor of an unmagnetized, relativistic collisionless pair shock. In particular, we provide a theoretical estimate of their…
Using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we characterize the energy spectra of particles accelerated by relativistic magnetic reconnection (without guide field) in collisionless electron-positron plasmas, for a wide range of…
We investigate shock structure and particle acceleration in relativistic magnetized collisionless pair shocks by means of 2.5D and 3D particle-in-cell simulations. We explore a range of inclination angles between the pre-shock magnetic…
Particles are accelerated to very high, non-thermal energies in solar and space plasma environments. While energy spectra of accelerated electrons often exhibit a power law, it remains unclear how electrons are accelerated to high energies…
The shock-acceleration theory predicts a power-law energy spectrum in the test particle approximation, and there are two ways to calculate a power-law index, Peacock's approximation and Vietri's formulation. In Peacock's approximation, it…
The early acceleration of protons and electrons in the nonrelativistic collisionless shocks with three obliquities are investigated through 1D particle-in-cell simulations. In the simulations, the charged particles possessing a velocity of…
We have investigated particle acceleration and emission from shocks and shear flows associated with an unmagnetized relativistic jet plasma propagating into an unmagnetized ambient plasma. Strong electro-magnetic fields are generated in the…
We have investigated particle acceleration and shock structure associated with an unmagnetized relativistic jet propagating into an unmagnetized plasma. Strong magnetic fields generated in the trailing jet shock lead to transverse…
An effective theory of laser--plasma based particle acceleration is presented. Here we treated the plasma as a continuous medium with an index of refraction $n_{m}$ in which a single electron propagates. Because of the simplicity of this…
We include a general form for the scattering mean free path in a nonlinear Monte Carlo model of relativistic shock formation and Fermi acceleration. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, as well as analytic work, suggest that relativistic…
The afterglow emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is usually interpreted as synchrotron radiation from electrons accelerated at the GRB external shock, that propagates with relativistic velocities into the magnetized interstellar medium.…
Numerical modelling is performed for extreme relativistic parallel shocks with upstream Lorentz factor $\Gamma=50$. Assuming the scattering is either large angle or over pitch angles $\sim \Gamma^{-1}$, spectral flattening and shock…
I review the current status of Fermi acceleration theory at relativistic shocks. I first discuss the relativistic shock jump conditions, then describe the non-relativistic Fermi mechanism and the differences introduced by relativistic…
In energetic nonthermal sources such as gamma-ray bursts, AGN or galactic jet sources, etc., one expects both relativistic and transrelativistic shocks acompanied by violent motions of moderately relativistic plasma. We present general…
Numerical results for particle acceleration at multiple oblique shocks are presented. We calculate the steady state spectral slope of test particles accelerated by the first order Fermi process. The results are compared to analytical…
(Abbreviated) Particle-in-cell simulations of relativistic, weakly magnetized collisionless shocks show that particles can gain energy by repeatedly crossing the shock front. This requires scattering off self-generated small length-scale…
We investigate the acceleration of light particles in perpendicular shocks for plasmas consisting of a mixture of leptonic and hadronic particles. Starting from the full set of conservation equations for the mixed plasma constituents, we…
We calculate the singular field of an accelerated point particle (scalar charge, electric charge or small gravitating mass) moving on an accelerated (non-geodesic) trajectory in a generic background spacetime. Using a mode-sum…
An oblique-rotating pulsar generates a relativistic striped wind in a pulsar wind nebula (PWN). The termination shock of the PWN compresses the Poynting-flux-dominated flow and drives magnetic reconnection. By carrying out particle-in-cell…
Working within the framework of the classical theory of electrodynamics, we derive an exact mathematical solution to the problem of self-force (or radiation reaction) of an accelerated point-charge traveling in free space. In addition to…