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 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.

References in corpus (12)

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Cited by in corpus (3)

• Multi-Mission Observations of Relativistic Electrons and High-Speed Jets Linked to Shock Generated Transients
• Compressive Structures in the Foreshock of Collisionless Shocks
• Noise-induced resonant acceleration of a charge in an intermittent magnetic field: an exact solution for ergodic and non-ergodic fluctuations