Ion-acoustic shocks with reflected ions: modeling and PIC simulations

Abstract

Non-relativistic collisionless shock waves are widespread in space and astrophysical plasmas and are known as efficient particle accelerators. However, our understanding of collisionless shocks, including their structure and the mechanisms whereby they accelerate particles remains incomplete. We present here the results of numerical modeling of an ion-acoustic collisionless shock based on one-dimensional (1D) kinetic approximation both for electrons and ions with a real mass ratio. Special emphasis is made on the shock-reflected ions as the main driver of shock dissipation. The reflection efficiency, velocity distribution of reflected particles and the shock electrostatic structure are studied in terms of the shock parameters. Applications to particle acceleration in geophysical and astrophysical shocks are discussed.

6 pages, 7 figures, International Workshop "Complex Plasma Phenomena in the Laboratory and in the Universe", January 19-20, 2015, Rome, Italy

References in corpus (3)

• Simulations and Theory of Ion Injection at Non-relativistic Collisionless Shocks
• Origin of Cosmic Rays
• Cosmic Ray Origins: An Introduction

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Acceleration of Cosmic Rays in Supernova Shocks: elemental selectivity of the injection mechanism
• Vlasov simulation of laser-driven shock acceleration and ion turbulence
• Ion-acoustic Shocks with Self-Regulated Ion Reflection and Acceleration
• Ion acceleration at two collisionless shocks in a multicomponent plasma
• Expansion of a mildly relativistic hot pair cloud into an electron-proton plasma