The efficiency of electron acceleration by ICME-driven shocks

TL;DR

This study investigates how shock parameters like angle, Mach number, and compression ratio influence electron acceleration efficiency at ICME-driven shocks, combining spacecraft data analysis and test-particle simulations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of electron acceleration efficiency using both observational data and simulations, highlighting the roles of shock parameters in the process.

Findings

Large shock angle enhances acceleration efficiency.

Higher upstream Alfvén Mach number increases acceleration.

Shock drift acceleration is confirmed as a key mechanism.

Abstract

We present a study of the acceleration efficiency of suprathermal electrons at collisionless shock waves driven by interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), with the data analysis from both the spacecraft observations and test-particle simulations. The observations are from the 3DP/EESA instrument onboard \emph{Wind} during the 74 shock events listed in Yang et al. 2019, ApJ, and the test-particle simulations are carried out through 315 cases with different shock parameters. A total of seven energy channels ranging from 0.428 to 4.161 keV are selected. In the simulations, using a backward-in-time method, we calculate the average downstream flux in the $90^\circ$ pitch angle. On the other hand, the average downstream and upstream fluxes in the $90^\circ$ pitch angle can also be directly obtained from the 74 observational shock events. In addition, the variation of the event number ratio with downstream to upstream flux ratio above a threshold value in terms of the shock angle (the angle between the shock normal and upstream magnetic field), upstream Alfv$\acute{\text e}$n Mach number, and shock compression ratio is statistically obtained. It is shown from both the observations and simulations that a large shock angle, upstream Alfv$\acute{\text e}$n Mach number, and shock compression ratio can enhance the shock acceleration efficiency. Our results suggest that shock drift acceleration is more efficient in the electron acceleration by ICME-driven shocks, which confirms the findings of Yang et al. 2018.