Particle acceleration efficiencies in astrophysical shear flows

Abstract

The acceleration of energetic particles in astrophysical shear flows is analyzed. We show that in the presence of a non-relativistic gradual velocity shear, power law particle momentum distributions $f(p) \propto p^{-(3+\alpha)}$ may be generated, assuming a momentum-dependent scattering time $\tau \propto p^{\alpha}$, with $\alpha > 0$. We consider possible acceleration sites in astrophysical jets and study the conditions for efficient acceleration. It is shown, for example, that in the presence of a gradual shear flow and a gyro-dependent particle mean free path, synchrotron radiation losses no longer stop the acceleration once it has started to work efficiently. This suggests that shear acceleration may naturally account for a second, non-thermal population of energetic particles in addition to a shock-accelerated one. The possible relevance of shear acceleration is briefly discussed with reference to the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 273.