Particle acceleration at shocks: Effects of spatial variations along the shock face

J. R. Jokipii, J. Kóta

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

We consider the acceleration of charged particles and anomalous cosmic rays (ACR) at propagating shocks and especially at the heliospheric termination shock, when upstream variations cause spatial variations along the shock face, or, alternatively, if the global spatial geometry causes the shock to vary. Here we present the results a new analytic solution for the case of a shock in which the injection low-energy particles varies with position along the shock face. We find that, downstream of the shock, positive spatial gradients together with modulation-like and multiple-power-law spectral features are naturally produced by plausible spatial variations at the shock. Similar effects also result from large-scale or global spatial structure. These various effects show promising qualitative agreement with observations at and near the heliospheric termination shock, suggesting that they may play an important role.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationParticle Acceleration and Transport in the Heliosphere and Beyond - 7th Annual International Astrophysics Conference
Pages390-396
Number of pages7
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008
Event7th Annual International Astrophysics Conference on Particle Acceleration and Transport in the Heliosphere and Beyond - Kauai, HI, United States
Duration: Mar 7 2008Mar 13 2008

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume1039
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Other

Other7th Annual International Astrophysics Conference on Particle Acceleration and Transport in the Heliosphere and Beyond
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityKauai, HI
Period3/7/083/13/08

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Ecology
  • Plant Science
  • General Physics and Astronomy
  • Nature and Landscape Conservation

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