Turbulence and Particle Acceleration in a Relativistic Plasma
Open Access
- 1 January 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Astronomical Society in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Vol. 924 (1), L19
- https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac441e
Abstract
In a collisionless plasma, the energy distribution function of plasma particles can be strongly affected by turbulence. In particular, it can develop a nonthermal power-law tail at high energies. We argue that turbulence with initially relativistically strong magnetic perturbations (magnetization parameter σ ≫ 1) quickly evolves into a state with ultrarelativistic plasma temperature but mildly relativistic turbulent fluctuations. We present a phenomenological and numerical study suggesting that in this case, the exponent α in the power-law particle-energy distribution function, f(γ)d γ ∝ γ −α d γ, depends on magnetic compressibility of turbulence. Our analytic prediction for the scaling exponent α is in good agreement with the numerical results.Funding Information
- National Science Foundation (PHY-1707272)
- National Science Foundation (PHY-2010098)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA80NSSC18K0646)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DE-SC001826)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DE-SC0019315)
- National Science Foundation (PHY-2010109)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DE-SC0019474)
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