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Particle acceleration in relativistic current sheets.

J G Kirk1

  • 1Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany. John.Kirk@mpi-hd.mpg.de

Physical Review Letters
|June 1, 2004
PubMed
Summary
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Relativistic current sheets, sites of energy dissipation in astrophysical phenomena, differ from nonrelativistic versions. They accelerate particles to higher energies, boosting synchrotron radiation frequencies beyond standard estimates.

Area of Science:

  • Plasma Physics
  • Astrophysics
  • High-Energy Physics

Background:

  • Relativistic current sheets are theorized dissipation sites in Poynting flux-dominated astrophysical flows like pulsar winds and active galactic nuclei jets.
  • Understanding particle acceleration and radiation processes within these structures is crucial for explaining observed high-energy phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the fundamental properties of steady relativistic current sheets.
  • To determine the maximum particle energies achievable in these structures.
  • To calculate the resultant synchrotron radiation frequencies and their implications for astrophysical observations.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of steady-state relativistic current sheet structures.
  • Derivation of particle acceleration limits.

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  • Computation of maximum synchrotron radiation frequencies.

    • Main Results:

    • Steady relativistic current sheets do not allow transformation to a zero electric field frame, unlike their nonrelativistic counterparts.
    • Their generic form is a true neutral sheet without a normal magnetic field component.
    • Maximum particle energies are derived, leading to synchrotron radiation frequencies substantially exceeding standard estimates.
    • Electron acceleration to energies enabling photon-photon pair production via inverse Compton scattering is possible in the context of magnetically driven gamma-ray bursts.

    Conclusions:

    • Relativistic current sheets possess distinct properties compared to nonrelativistic ones, impacting particle acceleration and radiation mechanisms.
    • The derived maximum energies and synchrotron frequencies offer explanations for observed high-energy emissions in astrophysical sources.
    • These findings have significant implications for models of phenomena like gamma-ray bursts.