Particle acceleration by magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability: Mechanism for flares in black hole accretion flows
Vladimir Zhdankin, Bart Ripperda, Alexander Philippov
Abstract
This article uses magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in relativistic collisionless plasma as an example of an astrophysical process for nonthermal particle acceleration, and uncover the onset of large-scale plumes formed by accumulation of small ones via particle-in-cell simulations. This is posed as a potential mechanism for flares.
Topics & Concepts
Rayleigh–Taylor instabilityPhysicsParticle accelerationInstabilityAccelerationSolar flarePlasmaAccretion (finance)Particle (ecology)Magnetic reconnectionAstrophysicsRayleigh scatteringMechanicsComputational physicsClassical mechanicsNuclear physicsOpticsGeologyOceanographySolar and Space Plasma DynamicsLaser-Plasma Interactions and DiagnosticsAstrophysical Phenomena and Observations