Particle acceleration in the magnetosphere
Abstract
Observations in the Earth's magnetosphere provide the unique opportunity of investigating particle acceleration in situ. In comparison with measurements in the tail of the Earth's magnetosphere we discuss the scaling laws of acceleration in current sheets and due to reconnection. We show how different processes provide energy gains at all observed energy levels, up to several MeV. Extrapolating the obtained scaling laws to astronomical scales we demonstrate that reconnection should be relevant for cosmic particle acceleration in general.
- Publication:
-
Particle Acceleration in Cosmic Plasmas
- Pub Date:
- 1992
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.42747
- Bibcode:
- 1992AIPC..264...15B
- Keywords:
-
- Current Sheets;
- Earth Magnetosphere;
- Magnetic Field Reconnection;
- Particle Acceleration;
- Space Plasmas;
- Boundary Layer Plasmas;
- Electric Fields;
- Space Radiation;
- 94.30.Hn;
- 94.30.Ej;
- 96.40.Fg;
- 98.70.Sa;
- Energetic trapped particles;
- Cosmic rays