Relativistic magnetosonic shock waves in synchrotron sources - Shock structure and nonthermal acceleration of positrons

view Abstract Citations (336) References (55) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Relativistic Magnetosonic Shock Waves in Synchrotron Sources: Shock Structure and Nonthermal Acceleration of Positrons Hoshino, Masahiro ; Arons, Jonathan ; Gallant, Yves A. ; Langdon, A. B. Abstract The theoretical properties of relativistic, transverse, magnetosonic collisionless shock waves in electron-positron-heavy ion plasmas of relevance to astrophysical sources of synchrotron radiation are investigated. Both 1D electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations and quasi-linear theory are used to examine the spatial and kinetic structure of these nonlinear flows. A new process of shock acceleration of nonthermal positrons, in which the gyrating reflected heavy ions dissipate their energy in the form of collectively emitted, left-handed magnetosonic waves which are resonantly absorbed by the positrons immediately behind the ion reflection region, is described. Applications of the results to the termination shocks of pulsar winds and to the termination shocks of jets emanating from the AGN are outlined. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: May 1992 DOI: 10.1086/171296 Bibcode: 1992ApJ...390..454H Keywords: Crab Nebula; Cyclotron Radiation; Interstellar Matter; Particle Acceleration; Positrons; Pulsars; Shock Waves; Synchrotron Radiation; Computational Astrophysics; Electron-Positron Pairs; Energy Spectra; Magnetosonic Resonance; Numerical Analysis; Radio Jets (Astronomy); Relativistic Particles; Astrophysics; ACCELERATION OF PARTICLES; GALAXIES: JETS; ISM: INDIVIDUAL NAME: CRAB NEBULA; STARS: PULSARS: GENERAL; RADIATION MECHANISMS: CYCLOTRON AND SYNCHROTRON; SHOCK WAVES full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (2)