Electron Acceleration in Thinning Nonreconnecting Current Sheets in a Quasi-parallel Shock

Abstract We study electron energization in turbulence-generated current sheets in the shock transition region by means of fully kinetic collisionless plasma simulations and theory. Using parameters in the Earth’s bow shock, we perform a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation of a quasi-parallel shock. In shock turbulence, many current sheets are produced, including those exhibiting magnetic reconnection and those that are not reconnecting. The electron temperature is enhanced in nonreconnecting current sheets as well as in reconnecting current sheets and magnetic islands. Performing electron trajectory tracing analysis, we find that energetic electrons are produced in nonreconnecting thinning current sheets. The motional electric field during the thinning process of a current sheet energizes both magnetized and unmagnetized electrons. We analytically show that the energization rate for unmagnetized electrons is slightly less than that of adiabatic energization for magnetized electrons, but unmagnetized electrons can be effectively trapped in magnetic field structures formed in thinning current sheets and continue to be energized. These nonreconnecting current sheets produce energetic electrons whose energies are comparable to the energetic electrons produced in magnetic islands, and they can reach the injection energy for diffusive shock acceleration, which is an acceleration mechanism for producing cosmic rays. The number of electrons that are energized in nonreconnecting current sheets is about a quarter of that in reconnection regions. The energization mechanism can be applicable to various space and astrophysical environments, including planetary bow shocks and supernova remnant shocks.