Revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock acceleration
Abstract Collisionless shock waves, found in supernova remnants, interstellar, stellar, and planetary environments, and laboratories, are one of nature’s most powerful particle accelerators. This study combines in situ satellite measurements with recent theoretical developments to establish a reinfo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55641-9 |
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| _version_ | 1832594577766219776 |
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| author | Savvas Raptis Ahmad Lalti Martin Lindberg Drew L. Turner Damiano Caprioli James L. Burch |
| author_facet | Savvas Raptis Ahmad Lalti Martin Lindberg Drew L. Turner Damiano Caprioli James L. Burch |
| author_sort | Savvas Raptis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Collisionless shock waves, found in supernova remnants, interstellar, stellar, and planetary environments, and laboratories, are one of nature’s most powerful particle accelerators. This study combines in situ satellite measurements with recent theoretical developments to establish a reinforced shock acceleration model for relativistic electrons. Our model incorporates transient structures, wave-particle interactions, and variable stellar wind conditions, operating collectively in a multiscale set of processes. We show that the electron injection threshold is on the order of suprathermal range, obtainable through multiple different phenomena abundant in various plasma environments. Our analysis demonstrates that a typical shock can consistently accelerate electrons into very high (relativistic) energy ranges, refining our comprehension of shock acceleration while providing insight on the origin of electron cosmic rays. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cec5e311ed81409baeebf2f183b28372 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-cec5e311ed81409baeebf2f183b283722025-01-19T12:30:43ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111510.1038/s41467-024-55641-9Revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock accelerationSavvas Raptis0Ahmad Lalti1Martin Lindberg2Drew L. Turner3Damiano Caprioli4James L. Burch5Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryNorthumbria UniversityDivision of Space and Plasma Physics - KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyJohns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryDepartment of Astronomy & Astrophysics and E. Fermi Institute, The University of ChicagoSouthwest Research InstituteAbstract Collisionless shock waves, found in supernova remnants, interstellar, stellar, and planetary environments, and laboratories, are one of nature’s most powerful particle accelerators. This study combines in situ satellite measurements with recent theoretical developments to establish a reinforced shock acceleration model for relativistic electrons. Our model incorporates transient structures, wave-particle interactions, and variable stellar wind conditions, operating collectively in a multiscale set of processes. We show that the electron injection threshold is on the order of suprathermal range, obtainable through multiple different phenomena abundant in various plasma environments. Our analysis demonstrates that a typical shock can consistently accelerate electrons into very high (relativistic) energy ranges, refining our comprehension of shock acceleration while providing insight on the origin of electron cosmic rays.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55641-9 |
| spellingShingle | Savvas Raptis Ahmad Lalti Martin Lindberg Drew L. Turner Damiano Caprioli James L. Burch Revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock acceleration Nature Communications |
| title | Revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock acceleration |
| title_full | Revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock acceleration |
| title_fullStr | Revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock acceleration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock acceleration |
| title_short | Revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock acceleration |
| title_sort | revealing an unexpectedly low electron injection threshold via reinforced shock acceleration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55641-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT savvasraptis revealinganunexpectedlylowelectroninjectionthresholdviareinforcedshockacceleration AT ahmadlalti revealinganunexpectedlylowelectroninjectionthresholdviareinforcedshockacceleration AT martinlindberg revealinganunexpectedlylowelectroninjectionthresholdviareinforcedshockacceleration AT drewlturner revealinganunexpectedlylowelectroninjectionthresholdviareinforcedshockacceleration AT damianocaprioli revealinganunexpectedlylowelectroninjectionthresholdviareinforcedshockacceleration AT jameslburch revealinganunexpectedlylowelectroninjectionthresholdviareinforcedshockacceleration |