Magnetic Mirroring and Focusing of Cosmic Rays

Journal
Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
Silsbee, Kedron
•
Ivlev, Alexei V.
•
•
Caselli, Paola
DOI
Abstract
We study the combined impact of magnetic mirroring and focusing on the ionization by cosmic rays (CRs) in dense molecular clouds and circumstellar disks. We show that for effective column densities of up to ∼10^25 cm-2 (where ionization is the main mechanism of energy loss by CRs) the two effects practically cancel each other out, provided the magnetic field strength has a single peak along field lines. In this case the ionization rate at a given location is controlled solely by attenuation of interstellar CRs due to energy losses. The situation is very different in the presence of magnetic pockets—local minima of the field strength, where the CR density and thus ionization can be reduced drastically. We obtain simple analytical expressions allowing accurate calculation of the ionization rate in these regions.
Funding(s)
Volume
863
Issue
2
Start page
188
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0004-637X
Ads BibCode
2018ApJ...863..188S
Rights
open.access
File(s)
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name

paper.pdf

Description
Pdf editoriale
Size

401.88 KB

Format

Adobe PDF

Checksum (MD5)

75fce13c7eac4a7d733824c82716e06d

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name

arxiv1807.05025.pdf

Description
preprint
Size

592.85 KB

Format

Adobe PDF

Checksum (MD5)

b302ad066e92a7aec7a2007ead2d3b40