Numerical simulations of internal shocks in microquasars

by Dr Patryk Pjanka (Nordita, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University)

Wednesday 6 Oct 2021, 13:30 → 14:30 Europe/Stockholm

Albano 3: 5230 - Xenon (12 seats) (Albano Building 3)

Hybrid meeting, Zoom: https://stockholmuniversity.zoom.us/j/530682073

While stationary models are very successful in explaining some of the properties of relativistic jets, these objects are unlikely to be launched in a laminar fashion. Thus, it is likely that shocks form within them. These internal shocks have been proposed as one of the mechanisms that could be responsible for re-acceleration of particles as they travel along the jet (as an alternative to, or alongside magnetic reconnection). While planar shocks may be inefficient at accelerating particles, it has recently been shown that shock corrugation improves the ability of these features to reheat leptons to non-thermal distributions. Here, we present our group's project on simulating the behavior of such corrugated internal shocks in microquasar-relevant parameter space, at multiple scales, using both PIC and MHD simulations with test particles.

Pjanka_2021-Oct-6.mp4