Acceleration of dust particles by low-frequency Alfvén waves

Abstract

We investigate the efficiency of acceleration of charged dust particles by low-frequency Alfvén waves in nonlinear approximation. We show that the longitudinal acceleration of dust particles is proportional to the square of the soliton amplitude $O(|b_m{|}^2)$, while the transversal acceleration is of $O(|b_m|)$. In the conditions of the interstellar medium the resulting velocity of dust particles can reach 0.3 to 1 km s${}^{-1}$.

8 pages, no figs, accepted in Phys. Lett. A