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Steep Cosmic-Ray Spectra with Revised Diffusive Shock Acceleration
Abstract Galactic cosmic rays (CRs) are accelerated at the forward shocks of supernova remnants (SNRs) via diffusive shock acceleration (DSA), an efficient acceleration mechanism that predicts power-law energy distributions of CRs. However, observations of nonthermal SNR emission imply CR energy distributions that are generally steeper than E −2 , the standard DSA prediction. Recent results from kinetic hybrid simulations suggest that such steep spectra may arise from the drift of magnetic structures with respect to the thermal plasma downstream of the shock. Using a semi-analytic model of nonlinear DSA, we investigate the implications that these results have on the phenomenology of a wide range of SNRs. By accounting for the motion of magnetic structures in the downstream, we produce CR energy distributions that are substantially steeper than E −2 and consistent with observations. Our formalism reproduces both modestly steep spectra of Galactic SNRs (∝ E −2.2 ) and the very steep spectra of young radio supernovae (∝ E −3 ).
Authors:
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Award ID(s):
Publication Date:
NSF-PAR ID:
10344783
Journal Name:
The Astrophysical Journal
Volume:
922
Issue:
1
Page Range or eLocation-ID:
1
ISSN:
0004-637X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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2. The possibility that charged particles are accelerated statistically in a “sea” of small-scale interacting magnetic flux ropes in the supersonic solar wind is gaining credence. In this Letter, we extend the Zank et al. statistical transport theory for a nearly isotopic particle distribution by including an escape term corresponding to particle loss from a finite acceleration region. Steady-state 1D solutions for both the accelerated particle velocity distribution function and differential intensity are derived. We show Ulysses observations of an energetic particle flux enhancement event downstream of a shock near 5 au that is inconsistent with the predictions of classical diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) but may be explained by local acceleration associated with magnetic islands. An automated Grad-Shafranov reconstruction approach is employed to identify small-scale magnetic flux ropes behind the shock. For the first time, the observed energetic particle “time-intensity” profile and spectra are quantitatively compared with theoretical predictions. The results show that stochastic acceleration by interacting magnetic islands accounts successfully for the observed (i) peaking of particle intensities behind the shock instead of at the shock front as standard DSA predicts; (ii) increase in the particle flux amplification factor with increasing particle energy; (ii) increase in distance between the particlemore »
3. The possibility that charged particles are accelerated statistically in a “sea” of small-scale interacting magnetic flux ropes in the supersonic solar wind is gaining credence. In this Letter, we extend the Zank et al. statistical transport theory for a nearly isotopic particle distribution by including an escape term corresponding to particle loss from a finite acceleration region. Steady-state 1D solutions for both the accelerated particle velocity distribution function and differential intensity are derived. We show Ulysses observations of an energetic particle flux enhancement event downstream of a shock near 5 au that is inconsistent with the predictions of classical diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) but may be explained by local acceleration associated with magnetic islands. An automated Grad-Shafranov reconstruction approach is employed to identify small-scale magnetic flux ropes behind the shock. For the first time, the observed energetic particle “time-intensity” profile and spectra are quantitatively compared with theoretical predictions. The results show that stochastic acceleration by interacting magnetic islands accounts successfully for the observed (i) peaking of particle intensities behind the shock instead of at the shock front as standard DSA predicts; (ii) increase in the particle flux amplification factor with increasing particle energy; (ii) increase in distance between the particlemore »
4. ABSTRACT

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