3,489 research outputs found
Particle Acceleration and Magnetic Dissipation in Relativistic Current Sheet of Pair Plasmas
We study linear and nonlinear development of relativistic and
ultrarelativistic current sheets of pair plasmas with antiparallel magnetic
fields. Two types of two-dimensional problems are investigated by
particle-in-cell simulations. First, we present the development of relativistic
magnetic reconnection, whose outflow speed is an order of the light speed c. It
is demonstrated that particles are strongly accelerated in and around the
reconnection region, and that most of magnetic energy is converted into
"nonthermal" part of plasma kinetic energy. Second, we present another
two-dimensional problem of a current sheet in a cross-field plane. In this
case, the relativistic drift kink instability (RDKI) occurs. Particle
acceleration also takes place, but the RDKI fast dissipates the magnetic energy
into plasma heat. We discuss the mechanism of particle acceleration and the
theory of the RDKI in detail. It is important that properties of these two
processes are similar in the relativistic regime of T > mc^2, as long as we
consider the kinetics. Comparison of the two processes indicates that magnetic
dissipation by the RDKI is more favorable process in the relativistic current
sheet. Therefore the striped pulsar wind scenario should be reconsidered by the
RDKI.Comment: To appear in ApJ vol. 670; 60 pages, 27 figures; References and typos
are fixe
On the possibility of sub-TeV Gamma-ray emission from Cyg X-3
The compact X-ray binary system Cyg X-3 has been recently discovered as a
source of GeV gamma-rays by the AGILE and the {\it Fermi} satellites. It shows
emission features in the GeV gamma-rays similar to other gamma-ray binaries
which were also observed in the TeV gamma-rays (LS 5039 and LSI +61 303). The
question appears whether Cyg X-3 can be also detected in the TeV gamma-rays by
the Cherenkov telescopes.
Here we discuss this problem in detail based on the anisotropic inverse
Compton (IC) e-p pair cascade model successfully applied to TeV gamma-ray
binaries. We calculate the gamma-ray light curves and gamma-ray spectra
expected from the cascade process occurring inside the Cyg X-3 binary system.
It is found that the gamma-ray light curves at GeV energies can be consistent
with the gamma-ray light curve observed by the Fermi for reasonable parameters
of the orbit of the injection source of relativistic electrons. Moreover, we
show that in such a model the sub-TeV gamma-ray emission (above 100 GeV) is
expected to be below sensitivities of the present Cherenkov telescopes assuming
that electrons are accelerated in Cyg X-3 to TeV energies. The next stage
Cherenkov telescopes (MAGIC II, HESS II) should have the energy threshold in
the range 20-30 GeV, in order to have a chance to detect the signal from Cyg
X-3. Otherwise, the positive detection of gamma-rays at energies above a few
tens of GeV requires a telescope with the sensitivity of ~0.1% of Crab Units.
We conclude that detection of sub-TeV gamma-rays from Cyg X-3 by on-ground
telescopes has to probably wait for construction of the Cherenkov Telescope
Array (CTA).Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, small changes in the text and discussion
extended, accepted to MNRA
Comparative Study of Multifragmentation of Gold Nuclei Induced by Relativistic Protons, He, and C
Multiple emission of intermediate-mass fragments has been studied for the
collisions of p, He and C on Au with the setup FASA. The mean
IMF multiplicities (for the events with at least one IMF) are saturating at the
value of for the incident energies above 6 GeV. The observed IMF
multiplicities cannot be described in a two-stage scenario, a fast cascade
followed by a statistical multifragmentation. Agreement with the measured IMF
multiplicities is obtained by introducing an intermediate phase and modifying
empirically the excitation energies and masses of the remnants.
The angular distributions and energy spectra from the p-induced collisions
are in agreement with the scenario of ``thermal'' multifragmentation of a hot
and diluted target spectator. In the case of C+Au(22.4 GeV) and
He(14.6 GeV)+Au collisions, deviations from a pure thermal break-up are
seen in the energy spectra of the emitted fragments, which are harder than
those both from model calculations and from the measured ones for p-induced
collisions. This difference is attributed to a collective flow.Comment: 33 pages 15 figures, accepted in Nucl. Phys.
Tests of the Equivalence Principle with Neutral Kaons
We test the Principle of Equivalence for particles and antiparticles, using
CPLEAR data on tagged K0 and K0bar decays into pi^+ pi^-. For the first time,
we search for possible annual, monthly and diurnal modulations of the
observables |eta_{+-}| and phi_{+-}, that could be correlated with variations
in astrophysical potentials. Within the accuracy of CPLEAR, the measured values
of |eta_{+-}| and phi_{+-} are found not to be correlated with changes of the
gravitational potential. We analyze data assuming effective scalar, vector and
tensor interactions, and we conclude that the Principle of Equivalence between
particles and antiparticles holds to a level of 6.5, 4.3 and 1.8 x 10^{-9},
respectively, for scalar, vector and tensor potentials originating from the Sun
with a range much greater than the distance Earth-Sun. We also study
energy-dependent effects that might arise from vector or tensor interactions.
Finally, we compile upper limits on the gravitational coupling difference
between K0 and K0bar as a function of the scalar, vector and tensor interaction
range.Comment: 15 pages latex 2e, five figures, one style file (cernart.csl)
incorporate
Search for Branons at LEP
We search, in the context of extra-dimension scenarios, for the possible
existence of brane fluctuations, called branons. Events with a single photon or
a single Z-boson and missing energy and momentum collected with the L3 detector
in e^+ e^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies sqrt{s}=189-209$ GeV are
analysed. No excess over the Standard Model expectations is found and a lower
limit at 95% confidence level of 103 GeV is derived for the mass of branons,
for a scenario with small brane tensions. Alternatively, under the assumption
of a light branon, brane tensions below 180 GeV are excluded
Magnetic Reconnection in Extreme Astrophysical Environments
Magnetic reconnection is a basic plasma process of dramatic rearrangement of
magnetic topology, often leading to a violent release of magnetic energy. It is
important in magnetic fusion and in space and solar physics --- areas that have
so far provided the context for most of reconnection research. Importantly,
these environments consist just of electrons and ions and the dissipated energy
always stays with the plasma. In contrast, in this paper I introduce a new
direction of research, motivated by several important problems in high-energy
astrophysics --- reconnection in high energy density (HED) radiative plasmas,
where radiation pressure and radiative cooling become dominant factors in the
pressure and energy balance. I identify the key processes distinguishing HED
reconnection: special-relativistic effects; radiative effects (radiative
cooling, radiation pressure, and Compton resistivity); and, at the most extreme
end, QED effects, including pair creation. I then discuss the main
astrophysical applications --- situations with magnetar-strength fields
(exceeding the quantum critical field of about 4 x 10^13 G): giant SGR flares
and magnetically-powered central engines and jets of GRBs. Here, magnetic
energy density is so high that its dissipation heats the plasma to MeV
temperatures. Electron-positron pairs are then copiously produced, making the
reconnection layer highly collisional and dressing it in a thick pair coat that
traps radiation. The pressure is dominated by radiation and pairs. Yet,
radiation diffusion across the layer may be faster than the global Alfv\'en
transit time; then, radiative cooling governs the thermodynamics and
reconnection becomes a radiative transfer problem, greatly affected by the
ultra-strong magnetic field. This overall picture is very different from our
traditional picture of reconnection and thus represents a new frontier in
reconnection research.Comment: Accepted to Space Science Reviews (special issue on magnetic
reconnection). Article is based on an invited review talk at the
Yosemite-2010 Workshop on Magnetic Reconnection (Yosemite NP, CA, USA;
February 8-12, 2010). 30 pages, no figure
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