Inductive and Electrostatic Acceleration in Relativistic Jet-Plasma Interactions

Journal Article · Fri Mar 24 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.96.1· OSTI ID:20778833

Ng, Johnny S.T.; Noble, Robert J ^[1]

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1. Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94309 (United States)

We report on the observation of rapid particle acceleration in numerical simulations of relativistic jet-plasma interactions and discuss the underlying mechanisms. The dynamics of a charge-neutral, narrow, electron-positron jet propagating through an unmagnetized electron-ion plasma was investigated using a three-dimensional, electromagnetic, particle-in-cell computer code. The interaction excited magnetic filamentation as well as electrostatic plasma instabilities. In some cases, the longitudinal electric fields generated inductively and electrostatically reached the cold plasma-wave-breaking limit, and the longitudinal momentum of about half the positrons increased by 50% with a maximum gain exceeding a factor of 2 during the simulation period. Particle acceleration via these mechanisms occurred when the criteria for Weibel instability were satisfied.

• OSTI ID: 20778833
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 96; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
COLD PLASMA
COMPUTER CODES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON-POSITRON INTERACTIONS
ELECTRONS
IONS
LONGITUDINAL MOMENTUM
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA JETS
PLASMA SIMULATION
POSITRONS
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS