Radiation from Particles Accelerated in Relativistic Jet Shocks and Shear-flows

Abstract

We have investigated particle acceleration and emission from shocks and shear flows associated with an unmagnetized relativistic jet plasma propagating into an unmagnetized ambient plasma. Strong electro-magnetic fields are generated in the jet shock via the filamentation (Weibel) instability. Shock field strength and structure depend on plasma composition (($e^{\pm}$ or $e^-$- $p^+$ plasmas) and Lorentz factor. In the velocity shear between jet and ambient plasmas, strong AC ($e^{\pm}$ plasmas) or DC ($e^-$- $p^+$ plasmas) magnetic fields are generated via the kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (kKHI), and the magnetic field structure also depends on the jet Lorentz factor. We have calculated, self-consistently, the radiation from electrons accelerated in shock generated magnetic fields. The spectra depend on the jet's initial Lorentz factor and temperature via the resulting particle acceleration and magnetic field generation. Our ongoing "Global" jet simulations containing shocks and velocity shears will provide us with the ability to calculate and model the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure observed from gamma-ray bursts, AGN jets, and supernova remnants.