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Magnetic pumping model for energizing superthermal particles applied to observations of the Earth's bow shock

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  • E. Lichko

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison
    University of Arizona)

  • J. Egedal

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Abstract

Energetic particle generation is an important component of a variety of astrophysical systems, from seed particle generation in shocks to the heating of the solar wind. It has been shown that magnetic pumping is an efficient mechanism for heating thermal particles, using the largest-scale magnetic fluctuations. Here we show that when magnetic pumping is extended to a spatially-varying magnetic flux tube, magnetic trapping of superthermal particles renders pumping an effective energization method for particles moving faster than the speed of the waves and naturally generates power-law distributions. We validated the theory by spacecraft observations of the strong, compressional magnetic fluctuations near the Earth’s bow shock from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. Given the ubiquity of magnetic fluctuations in different astrophysical systems, this mechanism has the potential to be transformative to our understanding of how the most energetic particles in the universe are generated.

Suggested Citation

  • E. Lichko & J. Egedal, 2020. "Magnetic pumping model for energizing superthermal particles applied to observations of the Earth's bow shock," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16660-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16660-4
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    Cited by:

    1. A. S. Afshari & G. G. Howes & J. R. Shuster & K. G. Klein & D. McGinnis & M. M. Martinović & S. A. Boardsen & C. R. Brown & R. Huang & D. P. Hartley & C. A. Kletzing, 2024. "Direct observation of ion cyclotron damping of turbulence in Earth’s magnetosheath plasma," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

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