Browsing by Author "Chang, Feng-Yin"

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A new type of plasma wakefield accelerator driven by magnetowaves
(2009-02-01)
Chen, Pisin
;
Chang, Feng-Yin
;
Lin, Guey-Lin
;
Noble, Robert J.
;
Sydora, Richard
We present a new concept for a plasma wakefield accelerator driven by magnetowaves (MPWA). This concept was originally proposed as a viable mechanism for the 'cosmic accelerator' that would accelerate cosmic particles to ultra-high energies in the astrophysical setting. Unlike the more familiar plasma wakefield accelerator (PWFA) and the laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA) where the drivers, the charged-particle beam and the laser, are independently existing entities, MPWA invokes the high-frequency and highspeed whistler mode as the driver, which is a medium wave that cannot exist outside of the plasma. Aside from the difference in drivers, the underlying mechanism that excites the plasma wakefield via the ponderomotive potential is common. Our computer simulations show that under appropriate conditions, the plasma wakefield maintains very high coherence and can sustain high-gradient acceleration over many plasma wavelengths. We suggest that in addition to its celestial application, the MPWA concept can also be of terrestrial utility. A proof-of-principle experiment on MPWA would benefit both terrestrial and celestial accelerator concepts.
Magnetowave Induced Plasma Wakefield Acceleration for Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays
(2009-03-20)
Chang, Feng-Yin
;
Chen, Pisin
;
Lin, Guey-Lin
;
Noble, Robert
;
Sydora, Richard
Magnetowave induced plasma wakefield acceleration (MPWA) in a relativistic astrophysical outflow has been proposed as a viable mechanism for the acceleration of cosmic particles to ultrahigh energies. Here we present simulation results that clearly demonstrate the viability of this mechanism for the first time. We invoke the high frequency and high speed whistler mode for the driving pulse. The plasma wakefield obtained in the simulations compares favorably with our newly developed relativistic theory of the MPWA. We show that, under appropriate conditions, the plasma wakefield maintains very high coherence and can sustain high-gradient acceleration over hundreds of plasma skin depths. Invoking active galactic nuclei as the site, we show that MPWA production of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays beyond ZeV (10(21) eV) is possible.