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Plasma kinetic effects in relativistic radiation-mediated shocks
1School of Physics & Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
Physical Review. E
|January 20, 2021
Summary
In relativistic radiation-mediated shocks (RRMS), collective plasma interactions, not just charge separation, are crucial for transferring energy from radiation to ions. This coupling ensures all particles and radiation behave as a single fluid within the shock.
Area of Science:
- Plasma physics
- Astrophysics
- High-energy phenomena
Background:
- Fast shocks in optically thick media are driven by Compton scattering and pair creation.
- Radiation force primarily acts on electrons and positrons, posing a challenge for energy transfer to ions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how energy is mediated to ions in relativistic radiation-mediated shocks (RRMS).
- To determine the role of collective plasma interactions in coupling particles and radiation within RRMS.
Main Methods:
- Development of a multifluid model for RRMS incorporating friction forces.
- Estimation of momentum transfer via collective interactions between electrons, positrons, and ions.
Main Results:
- In RRMS, collective plasma interactions are necessary for ion deceleration, unlike subrelativistic shocks.
- Momentum transfer occurs on scales of tens to thousands of proton skin depths.
- Sufficient coupling is achieved to treat all shock components as a single fluid.
Conclusions:
- Ion energy dissipation in RRMS relies on collective plasma interactions.
- The findings challenge previous assumptions about shock mediation in relativistic environments.
- Opens avenues for research into particle acceleration and shock breakout signals.
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