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Main Authors: Lloyd-Ronning, Nicole M., Kilian, Patrick, Chen, Guangye, Huang, Chengkun, Guo, Fan, Sahd, Lucian, Silva, Makana
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.10888
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author Lloyd-Ronning, Nicole M.
Kilian, Patrick
Chen, Guangye
Huang, Chengkun
Guo, Fan
Sahd, Lucian
Silva, Makana
author_facet Lloyd-Ronning, Nicole M.
Kilian, Patrick
Chen, Guangye
Huang, Chengkun
Guo, Fan
Sahd, Lucian
Silva, Makana
contents We present particle-in-cell simulations of one dimensional relativistic electromagnetic shocks in a uniform magnetic field, for a range of magnetic field strengths, plasma temperatures and numerical initial conditions. We show that the particle energy distributions of these shocks can develop a state of population inversion in the precursor and shock regions, which may allow for synchrotron maser (or maser-like, coherent) emission. Our set-up is applicable to conditions expected in models of fast radio bursts and therefore lends credence to the synchrotron maser model for these transients. We also show, for the first time, how a newly developed ``analytic particle pusher'' for kinetic simulations gives similar results to the commonly-used Boris pusher, but for larger timesteps and without the need to resolve the gyro-radius and gyro-period of the system. This has important implications for modeling astrophysical plasmas in extreme magnetic fields as well as for bridging scales between kinetic and fluid regimes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_10888
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Novel Methods for Simulating Astrophysical Plasmas and the Coherent Emission in Fast Radio Bursts
Lloyd-Ronning, Nicole M.
Kilian, Patrick
Chen, Guangye
Huang, Chengkun
Guo, Fan
Sahd, Lucian
Silva, Makana
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
We present particle-in-cell simulations of one dimensional relativistic electromagnetic shocks in a uniform magnetic field, for a range of magnetic field strengths, plasma temperatures and numerical initial conditions. We show that the particle energy distributions of these shocks can develop a state of population inversion in the precursor and shock regions, which may allow for synchrotron maser (or maser-like, coherent) emission. Our set-up is applicable to conditions expected in models of fast radio bursts and therefore lends credence to the synchrotron maser model for these transients. We also show, for the first time, how a newly developed ``analytic particle pusher'' for kinetic simulations gives similar results to the commonly-used Boris pusher, but for larger timesteps and without the need to resolve the gyro-radius and gyro-period of the system. This has important implications for modeling astrophysical plasmas in extreme magnetic fields as well as for bridging scales between kinetic and fluid regimes.
title Novel Methods for Simulating Astrophysical Plasmas and the Coherent Emission in Fast Radio Bursts
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.10888