Positron acceleration to ultrarelativistic energies by an oblique magnetosonic shock wave in an electron-positron-ion plasma

Positron acceleration in a shock wave in a plasma consisting of electrons, positrons, and ions is studied with theory and simulations. From the relativistic equation of motion, it is found that an oblique shock wave can accelerate some positrons with the energy increase rate proportional to E?B. They move nearly parallel to the external magnetic field, staying in the shock transition region for long periods of time. Then, this acceleration is demonstrated with one-dimensional, relativistic,electromagnetic particle simulations with full particle dynamics. Some positrons have been accelerated to ultrarelativistic energies sg,1000d with this mechanism. Parametric study of this acceleration is also made

Numerical studies on ultrarelativistic ion motions in an oblique magnetosonic shock wave

The motion of ultrarelativistic ions in an oblique magnetosonic shock wave is studied analytically and numerically. The zeroth-order theory predicts that an oblique shock wave can accelerate ions in the direction nearly parallel to the magnetic field if the shock speed is vsh ? c?cos?θ, where θ is the angle between the wave normal and the magnetic field, while the perturbation is a one-dimensional oscillation nearly perpendicular to the zeroth-order motion. The perturbation frequency ω is of the order of Ωi0γ?1/2, where γ is the Lorentz factor of the zeroth-order velocity. These theoretical predictions are examined with test particle simulations, in which the test particle orbits are calculated with use of the electromagnetic fields of a shock wave obtained from an electromagnetic particle simulation. The zeroth-order and perturbed motions in the simulations are explained by the theory

Persistent acceleration of positrons in a nonstationary shock wave

Long-time evolution of positrons accelerated in an oblique shock wave in an electron-positron-ion plasma is studied with relativistic, electromagnetic, particle simulations. In the early stage, some positrons move nearly parallel to the external magnetic field in the shock transition region and gain energy from the parallel electric field. The acceleration can become stagnant owing to the deformation of the wave profile. After the recovery of the shock profile, however, the acceleration can start again. By the end of simulation runs, omega_pet=5000, positron Lorentz factors reached values ~2000. In this second stage, three different types of acceleration are found. In the first type, the acceleration process is the same as that in the early stage. In the second type, positrons make gyromotions in the wave frame and gain energy mainly from the perpendicular electric field. In the third type, particle orbits are similar to curtate cycloids. Theoretical estimate for this energy increase is given

Theory and simulations of field strengths in magnetosonic shock waves in finite beta plasmas

Field strengths in an oblique magnetosonic shock wave in a collisionless, finite beta plasma are studied with theory and simulations. With the use of the warm, two-fluid model, the maximum values of the magnetic field, the transverse electric field, and the electric potential in a shock wave are analytically obtained as functions of the shock speed. One-dimensional, electromagnetic particle simulations are then carried out to measure the field strengths in shock waves. The theory and the simulation results are found to be consistent

Simulation studies of acceleration of heavy ions and their elemental compositions; IFSR--755

By using a one-dimensional, electromagnetic particle simulation code with full ion and electron dynamics, we have studied the acceleration of heavy ions by a nonlinear magnetosonic wave in a multi-ion-species plasma. First, we describe the mechanism of heavy ion acceleration by magnetosonic waves. We then investigate this by particle simulations. The simulation plasma contains four ion species: H, He, O, and Fe. The number density of He is taken to be 10% of that of H, and those of O and Fe are much lower. Simulations confirm that, as in a single-ion-species plasma, some of the hydrogens can be accelerated by the longitudinal electric field formed in the wave. Furthermore, they show that magnetosonic waves can accelerate all the particles of all the heavy species (He, O, and Fe) by a different mechanism, i.e., by the transverse electric field. The maximum speeds of the heavy species are about the same, of the order of the wave propagation speed. These are in good agreement with theoretical prediction. These results indicate that, if high-energy ions are produced in the solar corona through these mechanisms, the elemental compositions of these heavy ions can be similar to that of the background plasma, i.e., the corona

Collisionless damping of perpendicular magnetosonic waves in a two-ion-species plasma

Propagation of finite-amplitude magnetosonic waves in a collisionless plasma containing two ion species is studied with a one-dimensional, fully electromagnetic code based on a three-fluid model. It is found that perpendicular magnetosonic waves are damped in a two-ion-species plasma; a magnetosonic pulse accelerates heavy ions in the direction parallel to the wave front, which results in the excitation of a longer wavelength perturbation behind the pulse. The damping due to the energy transfer from the original pulse to the longer wavelength perturbation occurs even if the plasma is collisionless and the pulse amplitude is small. The theoretically obtained damping rate is in agreement with the simulation result