On the acceleration of energetic cosmic particles by electrostatic double layers
Abstract
The capability of electrostatic double layers of accelerating charged particles to high energies is investigated. Starting from a one-dimensional, relativistic double layer model, a two-dimensional, relativistic double layer in a current filament is studied. It is found that the filamentary double layer has a maximum potential drop that depends on the magnitude of the filamentary current and on the composition of the layer. The results are applied to two cosmic double layers: one in a solar electric circuit and another in a galactic circuit. If the layers are composed of protons and electrons these particles may be accelerated to 10 to the 11th power eV in the solar layer and to 10 to the 14th power eV in the galactic layer. It is suggested that the solar double layer may account for the acceleration of solar cosmic rays while the galactic layer may contribute to the generation of cosmic radiation.
- Publication:
-
Unknown
- Pub Date:
- September 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986oaec.rept.....C
- Keywords:
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- Cosmic Rays;
- Particle Acceleration;
- Plasma Layers;
- Astronomical Models;
- Plasma Currents;
- Relativistic Plasmas;
- Plasma Physics