Nonrelativistic parallel shocks in unmagnetized and weakly magnetized plasmas

We present results of 2D3V particle-in-cell simulations of non-relativistic plasma collisions with absent or parallel large-scale magnetic field for parameters applicable to the conditions at young supernova remnants. We study the collision of plasma slabs of different density, leading to two differ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:arXiv.org 2012-09
Main Authors: Niemiec, Jacek, Pohl, Martin, Antoine, Bret, Wieland, Volkmar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acceleration
Electrons
Ion distribution
Magnetic fields
Particle in cell technique
Relativism
Relativistic effects
Relativistic plasmas
Supernova remnants
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Summary:We present results of 2D3V particle-in-cell simulations of non-relativistic plasma collisions with absent or parallel large-scale magnetic field for parameters applicable to the conditions at young supernova remnants. We study the collision of plasma slabs of different density, leading to two different shocks and a contact discontinuity. Electron dynamics play an important role in the development of the system. While non-relativistic shocks in both unmagnetized and magnetized plasmas can be mediated by Weibel-type instabilities, the efficiency of shock-formation processes is higher when a large-scale magnetic field is present. The electron distributions downstream of the forward and reverse shocks are generally isotropic, whereas that is not always the case for the ions. We do not see any significant evidence of pre-acceleration, neither in the electron population nor in the ion distribution.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.1209.3938