Magnetic field evolution in relativistic unmagnetized collisionless shocks

Understand

We study relativistic unmagnetized collisionless shocks using unprecedentedly large particle-in-cell simulations of two-dimensional pair plasma.

• High energy particles accelerated by the shock are found to drive magnetic field evolution on a timescale >10^4 plasma times.
• Progressively stronger magnetic fields are generated on larger scales in a growing region around the shock.
• Shock-generated magnetic fields and accelerated particles carry >1% and >10% of the downstream energy flux, respectively.