Formation of electron beam-like components in low-Mach-number quasi-perpendicular shock: Particle-in-cell simulation

Abstract

Collisionless shocks with low Alfvénic Mach numbers are expected to accelerate electrons, but the underlying physics are still unsolved. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation of low-Mach-number quasi-perpendicular shock in low-β is performed to study the physics of formation of beam-like components with respect to background magnetic fields. The incoming electrons can be trapped and scattered to have velocities along the shock surface by the electrostatic wave in the foot region owing to the free energy in the relative drift between shock reflected ions and upstream electrons. Then fractional electrons can be reflected by the mirror force at the shock overshoot when escaping from the loss cone. The reflection by the mirror force makes the electrons gain quasi-parallel velocities, and the electrons are accelerated in the quasi-parallel direction during trapping in the immediate downstream, forming a beam-like component with respect to magnetic fields. Our results shown in this paper explain the physics of beam formation and could be helpful for accounting for type II radio bursts.