Autogenous Electron Acceleration by Ion Flow Vortex in Space Plasmas
Plasma flow vortexes are ubiquitous in space and astrophysical settings and play a vital role in energy and mass transport, contributing to formation of stars and planets, launching and dissipation of astrophysical jets, and coupling between planetary magnetospheres and ionospheres. Here we present...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada269 |
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| author | C. M. Liu J. B. Cao Y. Y. Liu E. A. Kronberg X. N. Xing B. N. Zhao P. W. Daly |
| author_facet | C. M. Liu J. B. Cao Y. Y. Liu E. A. Kronberg X. N. Xing B. N. Zhao P. W. Daly |
| author_sort | C. M. Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plasma flow vortexes are ubiquitous in space and astrophysical settings and play a vital role in energy and mass transport, contributing to formation of stars and planets, launching and dissipation of astrophysical jets, and coupling between planetary magnetospheres and ionospheres. Here we present in situ observations showing that energetic electrons with energies up to 250 keV can be directly generated inside an ion flow vortex with finite spatial scale. The electron acceleration is achieved by establishment of Fermi acceleration trap and parallel electrostatic potential within the flow vortex, leading to dramatic enhancement of energetic electron flux by at least 1 order of magnitude. The accelerated electrons can drive mass and energy transport along local magnetic field lines and serve as a free energy source for broadband electrostatic emissions. Our observations, suggesting that the ion flow vortex can serve as novel electron accelerators, can be fundamentally important for understanding energetic phenomena in the cosmos, such as nonthermal emissions near astrophysical jets and killer electrons in geospace. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e59eb644f8f84ceca960e26015ffed14 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-e59eb644f8f84ceca960e26015ffed142025-01-21T09:41:51ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0197929610.3847/1538-4357/ada269Autogenous Electron Acceleration by Ion Flow Vortex in Space PlasmasC. M. Liu0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9705-5387J. B. Cao1Y. Y. Liu2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0765-1709E. A. Kronberg3X. N. Xing4https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1355-3848B. N. Zhao5https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2556-9751P. W. Daly6School of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University , Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing , Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing 100000, People's Republic of ChinaSchool of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University , Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing , Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing 100000, People's Republic of ChinaSchool of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University , Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing , Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing 100000, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich , Munich 80333, GermanySchool of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University , Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing , Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing 100000, People's Republic of ChinaSchool of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University , Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing , Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing 100000, People's Republic of ChinaMax Planck Institute for Solar System Research , Göttingen 37077, GermanyPlasma flow vortexes are ubiquitous in space and astrophysical settings and play a vital role in energy and mass transport, contributing to formation of stars and planets, launching and dissipation of astrophysical jets, and coupling between planetary magnetospheres and ionospheres. Here we present in situ observations showing that energetic electrons with energies up to 250 keV can be directly generated inside an ion flow vortex with finite spatial scale. The electron acceleration is achieved by establishment of Fermi acceleration trap and parallel electrostatic potential within the flow vortex, leading to dramatic enhancement of energetic electron flux by at least 1 order of magnitude. The accelerated electrons can drive mass and energy transport along local magnetic field lines and serve as a free energy source for broadband electrostatic emissions. Our observations, suggesting that the ion flow vortex can serve as novel electron accelerators, can be fundamentally important for understanding energetic phenomena in the cosmos, such as nonthermal emissions near astrophysical jets and killer electrons in geospace.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada269Space plasmasPlasma astrophysics |
| spellingShingle | C. M. Liu J. B. Cao Y. Y. Liu E. A. Kronberg X. N. Xing B. N. Zhao P. W. Daly Autogenous Electron Acceleration by Ion Flow Vortex in Space Plasmas The Astrophysical Journal Space plasmas Plasma astrophysics |
| title | Autogenous Electron Acceleration by Ion Flow Vortex in Space Plasmas |
| title_full | Autogenous Electron Acceleration by Ion Flow Vortex in Space Plasmas |
| title_fullStr | Autogenous Electron Acceleration by Ion Flow Vortex in Space Plasmas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Autogenous Electron Acceleration by Ion Flow Vortex in Space Plasmas |
| title_short | Autogenous Electron Acceleration by Ion Flow Vortex in Space Plasmas |
| title_sort | autogenous electron acceleration by ion flow vortex in space plasmas |
| topic | Space plasmas Plasma astrophysics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada269 |
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