Numerical study of energy loss rate of fast proton in cold dense electron gas in strong magnetic field

Abstract

Energy loss of a proton propagating through a low-temperature gas of magnetized electrons is studied by molecular dynamics method for the case when proton velocity is much more than electrons thermal velocity. Strong uniform magnetic field is considered when electron Larmor radius is much smaller than distance of closest approach (Coulomb radius). High electron density, and hence small values of the Coulomb logarithm, is considered. The dependence of energy loss on angle between the proton velocity and the magnetic field direction is studied. Results of calculations are compared to Derbenev and Skrinskii theoretical approach to average friction force.