Efficient micromirror confinement of sub-TeV cosmic rays in galaxy clusters
Abstract
Recent observations suggest a stronger confinement of cosmic rays (CRs) in certain astrophysical systems than predicted by current CR-transport theories. We posit that the incorporation of microscale physics into CR-transport models can account for this enhanced CR confinement. We develop a theoretical description of the effect of magnetic microscale fluctuations originating from the mirror instability on macroscopic CR diffusion. We confirm our theory with large-dynamical-range simulations of CR transport in the intracluster medium (ICM) of galaxy clusters and kinetic simulations of CR transport in micromirror fields. We conclude that sub-TeV CR confinement in the ICM is far more effective than previously anticipated on the basis of Galactic-transport extrapolations.
- Publication:
-
arXiv e-prints
- Pub Date:
- November 2023
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2311.01497
- Bibcode:
- 2023arXiv231101497R
- Keywords:
-
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Physics - Plasma Physics
- E-Print:
- Utilizes PIC and MHD simulations, complemented by deep learning for data analysis. Currently under journal review. Comments welcome!