Particle acceleration in explosive relativistic reconnection events and Crab Nebula gamma-ray flares

Understand

We develop a model of particle acceleration in explosive reconnection events in relativistic magnetically-dominated plasmas and apply it to explain gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula.

• The model relies on development of current-driven instabilities on macroscopic scales (not related to plasma skin depths).
• Using analytical and numerical methods (fluid and particle-in-cell simulations), we study a number of model problems in relativistic magnetically-dominated plasma: (i) we extend Syrovatsky's classical model of explosive X-point collapse to magnetically-dominated plasmas; (ii) we consider instability of two-dimensional force-free system of magnetic flux tubes; (iii) we consider merger of two zero total poloidal current magnetic flux tubes.
• In all cases regimes of spontaneous and driven evolution are investigated.