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Particle Acceleration at Multiple Internal Relativistic Shocks

Paul Dempsey·Peter Duffy
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Abstract

Relativistic shocks provide an efficient method for high-energy particle acceleration in many astrophysical sources. Multiple shock systems are even more effective and of importance, for example, in the internal shock model of gamma-ray bursts. We investigate the reacceleration of pre-existing energetic particles at such relativistic internal shocks by the first order Fermi process of pitch angle scattering. We use a well established eigenfunction method to calculate the resulting spectra for infinitely thin shocks. Implications for GRBs and relativistic jets are discussed.

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Paul Dempsey, Peter Duffy. 2007-04-03. Particle Acceleration at Multiple Internal Relativistic Shocks. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-007-9419-6

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