A long-wavelength instability involving the stress tensor

TL;DR

This paper derives the growth rate of a long-wavelength instability driven by cosmic ray currents, which influences magnetic field amplification and maximum cosmic ray energies near shock waves.

Contribution

It introduces a new theoretical framework for understanding the growth of large-scale magnetic fluctuations due to cosmic ray-induced stress tensor effects.

Findings

Identifies a long-wavelength instability driven by cosmic ray stress tensor.

Derives the linear growth rate of this instability.

Highlights its potential role in cosmic ray acceleration limits.

Abstract

Cosmic ray acceleration through first-order Fermi acceleration in a collisionless plasma relies on efficient scattering off magnetic field fluctuations. Scattering is most efficient for magnetic field fluctuations with wavelengths on the order of the gyroradius of the particles. In order to determine the highest energy to which cosmic rays can be accelerated, it is important to understand the growth of the magnetic field on these large scales. We derive the growth rate of the long-wavelength fluctuations in the linear regime, using the kinetic equation coupled to Maxwell's equations for the background plasma. The instability, driven by the cosmic ray current, acts on large scales due to the stress tensor and efficient scattering on small scales, and operates for both left- and right circular polarisations. This long-wavelength instability is potentially important in determining the acceleration efficiency and maximum energy of cosmic rays around shock waves such as in supernova remnants.