Preferential acceleration of heavy ions from thermal velocities

Abstract

The acceleration of ions from thermal velocities is analyzed to determine conditions under which heavy ions can be preferentially accelerated. Two accelerating mechanisms involving high-and low-frequency hydromagnetic waves respectively are considered. Preferential acceleration of heavy ions occurs for high-frequency waves if the frequency spectrum falls off faster than (frequency)−1. For the low-frequency waves heavy ions are less effectively accelerated than lighter ions. However, very heavy ions can be preferentially accelerated, the abundances of the very heavy ions being enhanced by a factor Ai over the thermal abundances. Acceleration of ions in the envelope of the Crab nebula is considered as an example.