Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2009-05-08
Astrophys.J.703:8-21,2009
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
16 pages, 6 figures, ApJ accepted, explanations and references added
Scientific paper
10.1088/0004-637X/703/1/8
We discuss a model of cosmic ray acceleration that accounts for the observations of anomalous cosmic rays by Voyager 1 and 2. The model appeals to fast magnetic reconnection rather than shocks as the driver of acceleration. The ultimate source of energy is associated with magnetic field reversals that occur in the heliosheath. It is expected that the magnetic field reversals will occur throughout the heliosheath, but especially near the heliopause where the flows slows down and diverge in respect to the interstellar wind and also in the boundary sector-in the heliospheric current sheet. While the First Order Fermi acceleration theory within reconnection layers is in its infancy, the available predictions do not contradict the available data on anomalous cosmic ray spectra measured by the spacecrafts. We argue that the Voyager data can be one of the first pieces of evidence favoring the acceleration within regions of fast magnetic reconnection, which we argue is a widely spread astrophysical process.
Lazarian Alex
Opher Merav
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