Abstract
The evolution of magnetosonic shock waves and Alfvén waves generated by a strong disturbance and electron acceleration occurring in these waves is studied with fully kinetic, relativistic, electromagnetic, particle simulations. If two plasmas collide, magnetic field lines are compressed near the initial boundary of the two, resulting in the formation of a strong-magnetic-field pulse, which reflects ions of the two plasmas in two opposite directions. These ion motions create forward and backward shock waves. Furthermore, large-amplitude Alfvén waves are produced, with their propagation speeds much lower than the shock speeds. In the Alfvén wave region, three types of ultrarelativistic electron acceleration are observed, which are analyzed in detail.
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