Separation of Accelerated Electrons and Positrons in the Relativistic Reconnection
Abstract
We study the acceleration of electrons and positrons in a relativistic magnetic field reconnection using a 2.5 dimensional particle-in-cell electromagnetic relativistic code. We consider a model with two current sheets and periodic boundary conditions. The electrons and positrons are very effectively accelerated during the tearing and coalescence processes of the reconnection. We found that near the X-points of the reconnection the positions of electrons and positrons differ. This separation process is in agreement with those studied in previous papers analytically or by test particle simulations. We expect that in dependence on the magnetic field connectivity this local separation can lead to global spatial separation of the accelerated electrons and positrons. A similar simulation in an electron-proton plasma with the proton-electron mass ratio mi/me = 16 is made.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- February 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1086/522926
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0709.0572
- Bibcode:
- 2008ApJ...674.1211K
- Keywords:
-
- acceleration of particles;
- plasmas;
- relativity;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 8 figures, The Astrophysical Journal, accepted 28 Aug 2007