SUPER-ALFVENIC PROPAGATION OF COSMIC RAYS: THE ROLE OF STREAMING MODES

摘要

NUMEROUS COSMIC RAY PROPAGATION AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS REQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROPAGATION SPEED OF RELATIVISTIC PARTICLES THROUGH AN AMBIENT PLASMA. PREVIOUS CALCULATIONS INDICATED THAT SELF-GENERATED TURBULENCE SCATTERS RELATIVISTIC PARTICLES AND REDUCES THEIR BULK STREAMING VELOCITY TO THE ALFVEN SPEED. THIS RESULT WAS INCORPORATED INTO ALL CURRENTLY PROMINENT THEORIES OF COSMIC RAY ACCELERATION AND PROPAGATION. IT IS DEMONSTRATED THAT SUPER-ALFVENIC PROPAGATION IS INDEED POSSIBLE FOR A WIDE RANGE OF PHYSICAL PARAMETERS. THIS FACT DRAMATICALLY AFFECTS THE PREDICTIONS OF THESE MODELS.