Energetic particle trapping by Alfven wave instabilities
Abstract
A dispersion relation is derived for Alfven waves which interact resonantly with energetic particles in a plasma. It is argued that for the particle fluxes expected for cosmic ray production in supernova remnants, the waves are unstable and scatter the particles strongly. The particles remain in the expanding plasma and lose energy adiabatically. These energy losses pose a problem for theories of cosmic ray acceleration in supernova remnants. Observations of solar energetic particle propagation are found to be consistent with the properties of the instability.
- Publication:
-
Particle Acceleration Mechanisms in Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- November 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.32090
- Bibcode:
- 1979AIPC...56..319Z
- Keywords:
-
- Cosmic Rays;
- Energetic Particles;
- Magnetohydrodynamic Stability;
- Magnetohydrodynamic Waves;
- Plasma-Particle Interactions;
- Trapped Particles;
- Interstellar Magnetic Fields;
- Particle Production;
- Plasma Resonance;
- Solar Radiation;
- Supernova Remnants;
- Space Radiation;
- 95.30.Qd;
- 98.40.Ne;
- Magnetohydrodynamics and plasmas