Flux limit on cosmic ray acceleration by strong spherical pulsar waves.
Abstract
The study investigates the acceleration of cosmic rays by superrelativistic plasma waves. The pulsar wave field imposed upon the particles is that of a magnetic dipole wave including azimuthal dependence and near field terms. The refractive index of the plasma is assumed to be constant everywhere. Two distinct zones appear: in the near zone spherical effects dominate, particles may be decelerated; in the far zone the results for the motion differ noticeably from the vacuum case. From a WBK-like treatment for a spherical S wave, it is concluded that for a wave solution to be valid even near the light cylinder, the wave can carry a sufficiently small particle flux.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- November 1975
- Bibcode:
- 1975A&A....44...31A
- Keywords:
-
- Cosmic Rays;
- Particle Acceleration;
- Plasma Waves;
- Pulsars;
- Relativistic Plasmas;
- Spherical Waves;
- Electromagnetic Fields;
- Equations Of Motion;
- Magnetic Dipoles;
- Near Fields;
- Particle Flux Density;
- Radiant Flux Density;
- Refractivity;
- Space Radiation