Efficiency of cosmic ray reflections from an ultrarelativistic shock wave

Sep, 1999
3 pages
Published in:
  • Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 310 (1999) L11
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Abstract: (arXiv)
The process of cosmic ray acceleration up to energies in excess of 102010^{20} eV at relativistic shock waves with large Lorentz factors, Γ1\Gamma \gg 1 requires Γ2\sim \Gamma^2 particle energy gains at single reflections from the shock (cf. Gallant & Achterberg 1999). In the present comment, applying numerical simulations we address an efficiency problem arising for such models. The actual efficiency of the acceleration process is expected to be substantially lower than the estimates of previous authors.
  • photon: cosmic radiation
  • cosmic radiation: acceleration
  • shock waves: relativistic
  • cosmic radiation: reflection
  • magnetic field: fluctuation
  • numerical calculations