2025/03/13 by Nicole Lloyd-Ronning, Lloyd-Ronning, Nicole M., Patrick Kilian +11
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #FOS: Physical sciences #High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) #Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2503.10888
openalex publication_date 2025/03/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We present particle-in-cell simulations of one dimensional relativistic electromagnetic shocks in a uniform magnetic field, for a range of magnetic field strengths, plasma temperatures and numerical initial conditions. We show that the particle energy distributions of these shocks can develop a state of population inversion in the precursor and shock regions, which may allow for synchrotron maser (or maser-like, coherent) emission. Our set-up is applicable to conditions expected in models of fast radio bursts and therefore lends credence to the synchrotron maser model for these transients. We also show, for the first time, how a newly developed ``analytic particle pusher'' for kinetic simulations gives similar results to the commonly-used Boris pusher, but for larger timesteps and without the need to resolve the gyro-radius and gyro-period of the system. This has important implications for modeling astrophysical plasmas in extreme magnetic fields as well as for bridging scales between kinetic and fluid regimes.