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Relativisitic electron precipitation (REP) events occur when beams or bunches of relativistic electrons of magnetospheric origin enter the Earth's atmosphere, typically at auroral latitudes. REP events are associated with a variety of space weather effects, including production of transitional and bremsstrahlung radiation, catalytic depletion of stratospheric ozone, and scintillation of transionospheric radio waves. This study examines the intensities of x‐rays produced at airliner, manned balloon, and space reuseable launch vehicles (sRLVs). The monoenergetic beam is modeled in cylindrical symetry using the paraxial ray equation. Bremsstrahlung photon production is calculated using the traditional Sauter‐Elwert cross‐section, providing x‐ray emission spectra differential in energy and angle. Attenuation is computed for a plane‐stratified standard atmosphere, and the loss processes include photoionization, Rayleigh and Compton scattering, electron‐positron pair production, and photonuclear interaction. Peak altitudes of electron energy deposition and bremsstrahlung x‐ray production were calculated for beams of energies from 1 MeV through 100 MeV. The altitude peak of bremsstrahlung deposition was consistently and significantly lower that that of the electron deposition due to the longer mean free paths of x‐rays compared to electrons within the atmosphere. For example, for a nadir‐directed monoenergetic 5 MeV beam, the peak deposition altitude was calculated to be 42 km, but the resulting bremsstrahlung deposition peaked at 25 km. This has implications for crew and passenger safety, especially with the growth of the space tourism industry. A survey of results covering the 1‐100 MeV spectrum for the three altitude ranges of interest will be presented.

Plasma instabilities excited in collisionless shocks are responsible for particle acceleration, generation of magnetic fields , and associated radiation. We have investigated the particle acceleration and shock structure associated with an unmagnetized relativistic jet propagating into an unmagnetized plasma. Cold jet electrons are thermalized and slowed while the ambient electrons are swept up to create a partially developed hydrodynamic-like shock structure. The shock structure depends on the composition of the jet and ambient plasma (electron-positron or electron-ions). Strong electromagnetic fields are generated in the reverse , jet shock and provide an emission site. These magnetic fields contribute to the electron's transverse deflection behind the shock. We have calculated, self-consistently, the radiation from electrons accelerated in the turbulent magnetic fields. We found that the synthetic spectra depend on the Lorentz factor of the jet, its thermal temperature and strength of the generated magnetic fields. The detailed properties of the radiation are important for understanding the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jet shocks, and supernova remnants

Plasma instabilities excited in collisionless shocks are responsible for particle acceleration. We have investigated the particle acceleration and shock structure associated with an unmagnetized relativistic electron-positron jet propagating into an unmagnetized electron-positron plasma. Cold jet electrons are thermalized and slowed while the ambient electrons are swept up to create a partially developed hydrodynamic-like shock structure. In the leading shock, electron density increases by a factor of about 3.5 in the simulation frame. Strong electromagnetic fields are generated in the trailing shock and provide an emission site. This simulation corresponds to a case for gamma-ray burst afterglows. We will simulate colliding shells as an internal shock model for prompt emission. Turbulent magnetic fields generated by a slower shell will be collided by a faster shell. These magnetic fields contribute to the electron s transverse deflection behind the shock. We calculate the radiation from deflected electrons in the turbulent magnetic fields. The properties of this radiation may be important to understanding the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts

I will present results of our recent two- and three-dimensional Particle-In-Cell simulations of magnetic-turbulence production by cosmic-ray ions drifting upstream of supernova remnant shocks. These studies' aim is twofold: test recent predictions of strong amplification in short wavelength, non-resonant wave modes, and study the subsequent evolution of the magnetic turbulence, including its backreaction on cosmic-ray trajectories. We confirm that the drifting cosmic rays give rise to a turbulent magnetic field, but show that an oblique filamentary mode grows more rapidly than the non-resonant parallel modes found in analytical theory. The field perturbations grow more slowly than estimated using a quasi-linear analytical approach for the parallel plane-wave mode, and saturate in amplitude at deltaB/B approximately equal to 1. The backreaction of the magnetic turbulence on the particles leads to an alignment of the bulk-flow velocities of the cosmic rays and the background medium. This is an essential characteristic of cosmic ray-modified shocks: the upstream flow speed is continuously changed by the cosmic rays. The reduction of relative drift between cosmic rays and background medium accounts for the saturation of the instability at only moderate magnetic-field amplitudes. It is possible that the prolonged magnetic field growth observed in recent MHD simulations results from a cosmic-ray current assumed to be constant and thus immune to the backreaction from the turbulent field. We speculate that the parallel plane-wave mode found in analytical treatments very quickly leads co filamentation, which we observe in our PIC modeling and is also apparent in the MHD simulations.

Nonthermal radiation observed from astrophysical systems containing relativistic jets and shocks, e.g., gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and Galactic microquasar systems usually have power-law emission spectra. Recent PIC simulations of relativistic electron-ion (electro-positron) jets injected into a stationary medium show that particle acceleration occurs within the downstream jet. In the collisionless relativistic shock particle acceleration is due to plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, other two-streaming instability, and the Weibel (filamentation) instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. The simulation results show that the Weibel instability is responsible for generating and amplifying highly nonuniform, small-scale magnetic fields. These magnetic fields contribute to the electron's transverse deflection behind the jet head. The 'jitter' radiation from deflected electrons has different properties than synchrotron radiation which is calculated in a uniform magnetic field. This jitter radiation may be important to understanding the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jets, and supernova remnants.

Three dimensional PIC simulations are performed in order to analyse the dynamics of the magnetotail as the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) rotates from northward to southward direction. This dynamics reveals to be quite different within meridian/equatorial planes over two successive phases of this rotation. First, as IMF rotates from North to Dawn-Dusk direction, the X-Point (magnetic reconnection) evidenced in the magnetotail (meridian plane) is moving earthward (from x=-35 Re to x=-17.5 ) distance at which it stabilizes. This motion is coupled with the formation of "Crosstail-S" patterns (within the plane perpendicular to the Sun-Earth mine) through the neutral sheet in the nearby magnetotail. Second, as IMF rotates from dawn-dusk to South, the minimum B field region is expanding within the equatorial plane and forms a ring. This two-steps dynamics is analyzed in strong association with the cross field magnetotail current Jy, in order to recover the signatures of substorms triggering.

Nonthermal radiation observed from astrophysical systems containing relativistic jets and shocks, e.g., gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and Galactic microquasar systems usually have power-law emission spectra. Recent PIC simulations of relativistic electron-ion (electro-positron) jets injected into a stationary medium show that particle acceleration occurs within the downstream jet. In the collisionless relativistic shock particle acceleration is due to plasma waves and their associated instabilities {e.g., the Weibel (filamentation) instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. The simulation results show that the Weibel instability is responsible for generating and amplifying highly nonuniform, small-scale magnetic fields. These magnetic fields contribute to the electron's transverse deflection behind the jet head. The "jitter" radiation from deflected electrons has different properties than synchrotron radiation which is calculated in a uniform magnetic field. This jitter radiation may be important to understanding the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jets, and supernova remnants.

We have performed numerical simulations of weakly and strongly magnetized relativistic jets embedded in a weakly and strongly magnetized stationary or mildly relativistic (0.5c) sheath flow using the RAISHIN code. In the numerical simulations a jet with Lorentz factor gamma=2.5 is processed to break the initial equilibrium configuration. Results of the numerical simulations are compared to theoretical predictions from a normal mode analysis of the linearized RMHD equations describing a uniform axially magnetized cylindrical relativistic jet embedded in a uniform axially magnetized sheath flow. The prediction of increased stability of a weakly-magnetized system with mildly relativistic sheath flow to Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities and the stabilization of a strongly magnetized system with mildly relativistic sheath flow is confirmed by the numerical simulations.

Using a three-dimensional full electromagnetic particle model (EMPM), we have performed global simulations of the interaction between the solar wind and the terrestrial magnetosphere, and have investigated its asymptotic stability. The distance between the dayside magnetopause subsolar point and the Earth center, R(sub mp) is measured, as the intensity of southward IMF |B(sub z)| is slowly varying. Based on the field topology theory, one analyzes the variation of R(sub mp) as a reference index of the dynamics of this interaction, when IMF |B(sub z)| successively increases and decreases to its original value. Two striking results are observed. First, as the IMF |B(sub z)| increases above a critical value, the variation of R(sub mp) suddenly changes (so called 'bifurcation' process in field topology). Above this critical value, the overall magnetic field topology changes drastically and is identified as being the signature of magnetic reconnection at the subsolar point on the magnetopause. Second, this subsolar point recovers its original location R(sub mp) by following different paths as the IMF |B(sub z)| value increases (from zero to a maximum fixed value) and decreases (from this maximum to zero) passing through some critical values. These different paths are the signature of 'hysteresis' effect, and are characteristic of the so-called 'subcritical-type' bifurcation. This hysteresis signature indicates that dissipation processes take place via an energy transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere by some irreversible way, which leads to a drastic change in the magnetospheric field topology. This hysteresis is interpreted herein as a consequence of the magnetic reconnection taking place at the dayside magnetopause. The field topology reveals to be a very powerful tool to analyze the signatures of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection without the obligation for determining the mechanisms responsible for, and the consequences of the reconnection on the overall magnetospheric dynamics.

We investigate jet formation in black-hole systems using 3-D General Relativistic Particle-In-Cell (GRPIC) and 3-D GRMHD simulations. GRPIC simulations, which allow charge separations in a collisionless plasma, do not need to invoke the frozen condition as in GRMHD simulations. 3-D GRPIC simulations show that jets are launched from Kerr black holes as in 3-D GRMHD simulations, but jet formation in the two cases may not be identical. Comparative study of black hole systems with GRPIC and GRMHD simulations with the inclusion of radiate transfer will further clarify the mechanisms that drive the evolution of disk-jet systems.

We present general relativistic radiation transfer formulations which include opacity effects due to absorption, emission and scattering explicitly. We consider a moment expansions for the transfer in the presence of scattering. The formulation is applied to calculation emissions from accretion and outflows in black-hole systems. Cases with thin accretion disks and accretion tori are considered. Effects, such as emission anisotropy, non-stationary flows and geometrical self-occultation are investigated. Polarisation transfer in curved space-time is discussed qualitatively.

We have calculated the emission from relativistic flows in black hole systems using a fully general relativistic radiative transfer, with flow structures obtained by general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations. We consider thermal free-free emission and thermal synchrotron emission. Bright filament-like features are found protruding (visually) from the accretion disk surface, which are enhancements of synchrotron emission when the magnetic field is roughly aligned with the line-of-sight in the co-moving frame. The features move back and forth as the accretion flow evolves, but their visibility and morphology are robust. We propose that variations and location drifts of the features are responsible for certain X-ray quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in black-hole X-ray binaries.

Numerical simulations of weakly magnetized and strongly magnetized relativistic jets embedded in a weakly magnetized and strongly magnetized stationary or weakly relativistic (v = c/2) sheath have been performed. A magnetic field parallel to the flow is used in these simulations performed by the new GRMHD numerical code RAISHIN used in its RMHD configuration. In the numerical simulations the Lorentz factor gamma = 2.5 jet is precessed to break the initial equilibrium configuration. In the simulations sound speeds are less than or equal to c/the square root of 3 in the weakly magnetized simulations and less than or equal to 0.56 c in the strongly magnetized simulations. The Alfven wave speed is less than or equal to 0.07 c in the weakly magnetized simulations and less than or equal to 0.56 c in the strongly magnetized simulations. The results of the numerical simulations are compared to theoretical predictions from a normal mode analysis of the linearized relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) equations capable of describing a uniform axially magnetized cylindrical relativistic jet embedded in a uniform axially magnetized relativistically moving sheath. The theoretical dispersion relation allows investigation of effects associated with maximum possible sound speeds, Alfven wave speeds near light speed and relativistic sheath speeds. The prediction of increased stability of the weakly magnetized system resulting from c/2 sheath speeds and the stabilization of the strongly magnetized system resulting from c/2 sheath speeds is verified by the numerical simulation results.

We investigate here the effects of plasma instabilities driven by rapid e(sup plus or minus) pair cascades, which arise in the environment of GRB sources as a result of back-scattering of a seed fraction of their original spectrum. The injection of e(sup plus or minus) pairs induces strong streaming motions in the ambient medium. One therefore expects the pair-enriched medium ahead of the forward shock to be strongly sheared on length scales comparable to the radiation front thickness. Using three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we show that plasma instabilities driven by these streaming e(sup plus or minus) pairs are responsible for the excitation of near-equipartition, turbulent magnetic fields. Our results reveal the importance of the electromagnetic filamentation instability in ensuring an effective coupling between e(sup plus or minus) pairs and ions, and may help explain the origin of large upstream fields in GRB shocks.

We investigate here the effects of plasma instabilities driven by rapid e(sup +/-) pair cascades, which arise in the environment of GRB sources as a result of back-scattering of a seed fraction of their original spectrum. The injection of e(sup +/-) pairs induces strong streaming motions in the ambient medium. One therefore expects the pair-enriched medium ahead of the forward shock to be strongly sheared on length scales comparable to the radiation front thickness. Using three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we show that plasma instabilities driven by these streaming e(sup +/-) pairs are responsible for the excitation of near-equipartition, turbulent magnetic fields. Our results reveal the importance of the electromagnetic filamentation instability in ensuring an effective coupling between e(sup +/-) pairs and ions, and may help explain the origin of large upstream fields in GRB shocks.

Nonthermal radiation observed from astrophysical systems containing relativistic jets and shocks, e.g., active galactic nuclei (AGNs), gamma ray burst (GRBs), and Galactic microquasar systems usually have power-law emission spectra. Fermi acceleration is the mechanism usually assumed for the acceleration of particles in astrophysical environments.

Shock acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (REMP) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating through an ambient plasma with and without initial magnetic fields. We find only small differences in the results between no ambient and weak ambient parallel magnetic fields. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates particles perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. New simulations with an ambient perpendicular magnetic field show the strong interaction between the relativistic jet and the magnetic fields. The magnetic fields are piled up by the jet and the jet electrons are bent, which creates currents and displacement currents. At the nonlinear stage, the magnetic fields are reversed by the current and the reconnection may take place. Due to these dynamics the jet and ambient electron are strongly accelerated in both parallel and perpendicular directions.

Shock acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (m) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating through an ambient plasma with and without initial magnetic fields. We find only small differences in the results between no ambient and weak ambient parallel magnetic fields. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates particles perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. New simulations with an ambient perpendicular magnetic field show the strong interaction between the relativistic jet and the magnetic fields. The magnetic fields are piled up by the jet and the jet electrons are bent, which creates currents and displacement currents. At the nonlinear stage, the magnetic fields are reversed by the current and the reconnection may take place. Due to these dynamics the jet and ambient electron are strongly accelerated in both parallel and perpendicular directions.