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Title: PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN SUPERLUMINAL STRONG WAVES

Abstract

We calculate the electron acceleration in random superluminal strong waves (SLSWs) and radiation from them using numerical methods in the context of the termination shocks of pulsar wind nebulae. We pursue the orbit of electrons by solving the equation of motion in the analytically expressed electromagnetic turbulences. These consist of a primary SLS and isotropically distributed secondary electromagnetic waves. Under the dominance of the secondary waves, all electrons gain nearly equal energy. On the other hand, when the primary wave is dominant, selective acceleration occurs. The phase of the primary wave for electrons moving nearly along the wavevector changes very slowly compared with the oscillation of the wave, which is “phase-locked,” and such electrons are continuously accelerated. This acceleration by SLSWs may play a crucial role in pre-shock acceleration. In general, the radiation from the phase-locked population is different from the synchro-Compton radiation. However, when the amplitude of the secondary waves is not extremely weaker than that of the primary wave, the typical frequency can be estimated from synchro-Compton theory using the secondary waves. The primary wave does not contribute to the radiation because the SLSW accelerates electrons almost linearly. This radiation can be observed as a radio knot atmore » the upstream of the termination shocks of the pulsar wind nebulae without counterparts in higher frequency ranges.« less

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. Astrophysical Big Bang Laboratory, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22522371
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 805; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ACCELERATION; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ELECTRONS; EQUATIONS OF MOTION; GAIN; NEBULAE; ORBITS; OSCILLATIONS; PULSARS; RANDOMNESS; STELLAR WINDS; TURBULENCE

Citation Formats

Teraki, Yuto, Ito, Hirotaka, and Nagataki, Shigehiro. PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN SUPERLUMINAL STRONG WAVES. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/805/2/138.
Teraki, Yuto, Ito, Hirotaka, & Nagataki, Shigehiro. PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN SUPERLUMINAL STRONG WAVES. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/805/2/138
Teraki, Yuto, Ito, Hirotaka, and Nagataki, Shigehiro. 2015. "PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN SUPERLUMINAL STRONG WAVES". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/805/2/138.
@article{osti_22522371,
title = {PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN SUPERLUMINAL STRONG WAVES},
author = {Teraki, Yuto and Ito, Hirotaka and Nagataki, Shigehiro},
abstractNote = {We calculate the electron acceleration in random superluminal strong waves (SLSWs) and radiation from them using numerical methods in the context of the termination shocks of pulsar wind nebulae. We pursue the orbit of electrons by solving the equation of motion in the analytically expressed electromagnetic turbulences. These consist of a primary SLS and isotropically distributed secondary electromagnetic waves. Under the dominance of the secondary waves, all electrons gain nearly equal energy. On the other hand, when the primary wave is dominant, selective acceleration occurs. The phase of the primary wave for electrons moving nearly along the wavevector changes very slowly compared with the oscillation of the wave, which is “phase-locked,” and such electrons are continuously accelerated. This acceleration by SLSWs may play a crucial role in pre-shock acceleration. In general, the radiation from the phase-locked population is different from the synchro-Compton radiation. However, when the amplitude of the secondary waves is not extremely weaker than that of the primary wave, the typical frequency can be estimated from synchro-Compton theory using the secondary waves. The primary wave does not contribute to the radiation because the SLSW accelerates electrons almost linearly. This radiation can be observed as a radio knot at the upstream of the termination shocks of the pulsar wind nebulae without counterparts in higher frequency ranges.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/805/2/138},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22522371}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 2,
volume = 805,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}