Related papers: Diffusive Shock Acceleration: the Fermi Mechanism
The analytical theory of diffusive cosmic ray acceleration at parallel stationary shock waves with magnetostatic turbulence is generalized to arbitrary shock speeds $V_s=\beta_1c$, including in particular relativistic speeds. This is…
We have performed 2D hybrid simulations of non-relativistic collisionless shocks in the presence of pre-existing energetic particles ("seeds"); such a study applies, for instance, to the re-acceleration of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs) in…
A major attraction of diffusive shock acceleration is the prediction of power-law spectra for energetic particle distributions. However, this property is not fundamental to the theory. We demonstrate that for planar shocks with an oblique…
Collisionless, magnetized turbulence offers a promising framework for the generation of non-thermal high-energy particles in various astrophysical sites. Yet, the detailed mechanism that governs particle acceleration has remained subject to…
Subcluster interactions within clusters of galaxies produce shocks that accelerate nonthermal particles. We treat Fermi acceleration of nonthermal electrons and protons by injecting power-law distributions of particles during the merger…
The generic acceleration model for ultra high energy cosmic rays, which has been introduced in {\tt 1006.5708 [astro-ph.HE]}, suggests various types of electromagnetic interactions between cosmic charged particles and the different types of…
We have developed a numerical model for the temporal evolution of particle and photon spectra resulting from nonthermal processes at the shock fronts formed in merging clusters of galaxies. Fermi acceleration is approximated by injecting…
The probability that a particle, crossing the shock along a given direction, be reflected backwards along another direction, was shown to be the key element in determining the spectrum of non--thermal particles accelerated via the Fermi…
Collisionless shock waves are one of the main forms of energy conversion in space plasmas. They can directly or indirectly drive other universal plasma processes such as magnetic reconnection, turbulence, particle acceleration and wave…
The Fermi acceleration model was introduced to describe how cosmic ray particles are accelerated to great speeds by interacting with moving magnetic fields. We identify a new variation of the model where light ions interact with a moving…
In this review we discuss some observational aspects and theoretical models of astrophysical collisionless shocks in partly ionized plasma with the presence of non-thermal components. A specific feature of fast strong collisionless shocks…
While collisionless plasmas are ubiquitously present near astrophysical compact objects, the impact that their composition has on the high-energy emission is presently unknown. We present the first investigation of particle-acceleration…
Cosmic ray acceleration through first-order Fermi acceleration in a collisionless plasma relies on efficient scattering off magnetic field fluctuations. Scattering is most efficient for magnetic field fluctuations with wavelengths on the…
We study diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) of protons and electrons at nonrelativistic, high Mach number, quasiparallel, collisionless shocks by means of self-consistent 1D particle-in-cell simulations. For the first time, both species are…
This research was motivated by the recent observations indicating very strong magnetic fields at some supernova remnant shocks, which suggests in-situ generation of magnetic turbulence. The dissertation presents a numerical model of…
We present a model for the creation of non-thermal particles via diffusive shock acceleration in a colliding-wind binary. Our model accounts for the oblique nature of the global shocks bounding the wind-wind collision region and the finite…
We report studies on first-order Fermi acceleration in parallel modified shock waves with a large scattering center compression ratio expected from turbulence transmission models. Using a Monte Carlo technique we have modeled particle…
Collisionless shocks generated by two colliding relativistic electron-positron plasma shells are studied using particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. Shocks are mediated by the Weibel instability (WI), and the kinetic energy of the fastest…
Due to its ubiquitous presence, turbulence is often invoked to explain the origin of nonthermal particles in astrophysical sources of high-energy emission. With particle-in-cell simulations, we study decaying turbulence in…
Particle acceleration at plasma shocks appears to be ubiquitous in the universe, spanning systems in the heliosphere, supernova remnants, and relativistic jets in distant active galaxies and gamma-ray bursts. This review addresses some of…