Premium
Adiabatic charged‐particle motion
Author(s) -
Northrop Theodore G.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg001i003p00283
Subject(s) - physics , betatron , fermi acceleration , adiabatic process , fermi gamma ray space telescope , particle acceleration , charged particle , classical mechanics , acceleration , motion (physics) , relativistic particle , quantum electrodynamics , guiding center , plasma , quantum mechanics , electron , ion
The adiabatic theory of charged‐particle motion is developed systematically in this review. We present the essentials of the theory without giving all the analysis in detail. The general expressions for guiding‐center motion and particle energy change are given, with application to the Van Allen radiation and to Fermi acceleration. It is shown that Fermi acceleration and betatron acceleration should not be regarded as distinct processes. Modifications of the nonrelativistic theory that are necessary when the particle is relativistic are discussed. Proofs are given of the invariance to lowest order of the first and second adiabatic invariants for the case of static fields. Finally, applications are made to the theory of plasmas.