Microphysics of Diffusive Shock Acceleration: Impact on the Spectrum of Accelerated Particles

Diffusive shock acceleration at collisionless shocks remains the most likely process for accelerating particles in a variety of astrophysical sources. While the standard prediction for strong shocks is that the spectrum of accelerated particles is universal, f(p) proportional to p (-4), numerous phenomena affect this simple conclusion. In general, the nonlinear dynamical reaction of accelerated particles leads to a concave spectrum, steeper than p (-4) at momenta below a few tens of GeV c (-1) and harder than the standard prediction at high energies. However, the nonlinear effects become important in the presence of magnetic field amplification, which in turn leads to higher values of the maximum momentum p (max). It was recently discovered that the self-generated perturbations that enhance particle scattering, when advected downstream, move in the same direction as the background plasma, so that the effective compression factor at the shock decreases and the spectrum becomes steeper. We investigate the implications of the excitation of the non-resonant streaming instability on these spectral deformations, the dependence of the spectral steepening on the shock velocity, and the role played by the injection momentum.

Automated summary

Diffusive shock acceleration is the most likely process for accelerating particles in various astrophysical sources. However, several phenomena can affect the spectrum of accelerated particles, making it steeper or harder than the standard prediction. Magnetic field amplification leads to a steeper spectrum, while the excitation of the non-resonant streaming instability affects the spectral deformations.