Relativistic Reconnection

Magnetic field strength (upper row), particle number density (middle row), and the polarized emission map (lower row) of the simulation region. In the lower row, the color indicates the total flux at each zone, while the segments represent the relative polarized flux. Different columns represent snapshots of the simulation domain at different time steps. (Zhang et al., 2018)

This project studies particle acceleration and associated radiation emissions in relativistic magnetic reconnection using particle-in-cell simulations, particle transport theories, and radiation transfer models. I have been partially working on this project because of its similarities with the studies in nonrelativistic reconnection. The work has been done by collaborating with my colleagues. Current research topics include

particle acceleration mechanisms
particle injection mechanisms
the formation of nonthermal energy spectra
the emission and polarization signatures of the nonthermal electrons

Publications

2023

ApJL

A Model for Nonthermal Particle Acceleration in Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection

Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, Yi-Hsin Liu, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Sep 2023

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2023ApJ...954L..37L,
  author = {{Li}, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin and {Li}, Hui},
  title = {{A Model for Nonthermal Particle Acceleration in Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
  keywords = {High energy astrophysics, Plasma astrophysics, 739, 1261, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Physics - Plasma Physics},
  year = {2023},
  month = sep,
  volume = {954},
  number = {2},
  eid = {L37},
  pages = {L37},
  doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/acf135},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2302.12737},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023ApJ...954L..37L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

ApJ

First-principles-integrated Study of Blazar Synchrotron Radiation and Polarization Signatures from Magnetic Turbulence

Haocheng Zhang, Alan P. Marscher, Fan Guo, and 3 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal, Jun 2023

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2023ApJ...949...71Z,
  author = {{Zhang}, Haocheng and {Marscher}, Alan P. and {Guo}, Fan and {Giannios}, Dimitrios and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Negro}, Michela},
  title = {{First-principles-integrated Study of Blazar Synchrotron Radiation and Polarization Signatures from Magnetic Turbulence}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {Blazars, Spectropolarimetry, Plasma astrophysics, Non-thermal radiation sources, 164, 1973, 1261, 1119, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena},
  year = {2023},
  month = jun,
  volume = {949},
  number = {2},
  eid = {71},
  pages = {71},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/acc657},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2301.13316},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023ApJ...949...71Z},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

PhRvL

Comment on “Nonideal Fields Solve the Injection Problem in Relativistic Reconnection”

Fan Guo, Xiaocan Li, Omar French, and 7 more authors

Physical Review Letters, May 2023

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2023PhRvL.130r9501G,
  author = {{Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Xiaocan and {French}, Omar and {Zhang}, Qile and {Daughton}, William and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin and {Matthaeus}, William and {Kilian}, Patrick and {Johnson}, Grant and {Li}, Hui},
  title = {{Comment on ``Nonideal Fields Solve the Injection Problem in Relativistic Reconnection''}},
  journal = {Physical Review Letters},
  keywords = {Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Physics - Plasma Physics},
  year = {2023},
  month = may,
  volume = {130},
  number = {18},
  eid = {189501},
  pages = {189501},
  doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.189501},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2208.03435},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023PhRvL.130r9501G},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

2022

ApJ

Radiation and Polarization Signatures from Magnetic Reconnection in Relativistic Jets. II. Connection with \ensuremathγ-Rays

Haocheng Zhang, Xiaocan Li, Dimitrios Giannios, and 5 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal, Jan 2022

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2022ApJ...924...90Z,
  author = {Zhang, Haocheng and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Giannios}, Dimitrios and {Guo}, Fan and {Thiersen}, Hannes and {B{\"o}ttcher}, Markus and {Lewis}, Tiffany and {Venters}, Tonia},
  title = {{Radiation and Polarization Signatures from Magnetic Reconnection in Relativistic Jets. II. Connection with {\ensuremath{\gamma}}-Rays}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {1390, 1119, 1973, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena},
  year = {2022},
  month = jan,
  volume = {924},
  number = {2},
  eid = {90},
  pages = {90},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ac3669},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2111.02578},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022ApJ...924...90Z},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

2021

ApJ

Magnetic Energy Release, Plasma Dynamics, and Particle Acceleration in Relativistic Turbulent Magnetic Reconnection

Fan Guo, Xiaocan Li, William Daughton, and 5 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal, Oct 2021

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2021ApJ...919..111G,
  author = {Guo, Fan and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Daughton}, William and {Li}, Hui and {Kilian}, Patrick and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin and {Zhang}, Qile and {Zhang}, Haocheng},
  title = {{Magnetic Energy Release, Plasma Dynamics, and Particle Acceleration in Relativistic Turbulent Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {High energy astrophysics, 739, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics},
  year = {2021},
  month = oct,
  volume = {919},
  number = {2},
  eid = {111},
  pages = {111},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ac0918},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2008.02743},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021ApJ...919..111G},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel,turbulence}
}

ApJ

First-principles Prediction of X-Ray Polarization from Magnetic Reconnection in High-frequency BL Lacertae Objects

Haocheng Zhang, Xiaocan Li, Dimitrios Giannios, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal, May 2021

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2021ApJ...912..129Z,
  author = {Zhang, Haocheng and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Giannios}, Dimitrios and {Guo}, Fan},
  title = {{First-principles Prediction of X-Ray Polarization from Magnetic Reconnection in High-frequency BL Lacertae Objects}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {Relativistic jets, BL Lacertae objects, Computational astronomy, Polarimetry, Magnetic fields, Blazars, 1390, 158, 293, 1278, 994, 164, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena},
  year = {2021},
  month = may,
  volume = {912},
  number = {2},
  eid = {129},
  pages = {129},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/abf2be},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2103.14914},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021ApJ...912..129Z},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

2020

ApJ

Radiation and Polarization Signatures from Magnetic Reconnection in Relativistic Jets. I. A Systematic Study

Haocheng Zhang, Xiaocan Li, Dimitrios Giannios, and 3 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal, Oct 2020

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2020ApJ...901..149Z,
  author = {Zhang, Haocheng and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Giannios}, Dimitrios and {Guo}, Fan and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin and {Dong}, Lingyi},
  title = {{Radiation and Polarization Signatures from Magnetic Reconnection in Relativistic Jets. I. A Systematic Study}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {Blazars, Active galactic nuclei, Jets, Non-thermal radiation sources, Polarimetry, 164, 16, 870, 1119, 1278, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena},
  year = {2020},
  month = oct,
  volume = {901},
  number = {2},
  eid = {149},
  pages = {149},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/abb1b0},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2008.09444},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020ApJ...901..149Z},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

ApJ

Exploring the Acceleration Mechanisms for Particle Injection and Power-law Formation during Transrelativistic Magnetic Reconnection

Patrick Kilian, Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal, Aug 2020

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2020ApJ...899..151K,
  author = {Kilian, Patrick and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Hui},
  title = {{Exploring the Acceleration Mechanisms for Particle Injection and Power-law Formation during Transrelativistic Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {Non-thermal radiation sources, Magnetic fields, 1119, 994, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Physics - Plasma Physics},
  year = {2020},
  month = aug,
  volume = {899},
  number = {2},
  eid = {151},
  pages = {151},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/aba1e9},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2001.02732},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020ApJ...899..151K},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

PhPl

Recent progress on particle acceleration and reconnection physics during magnetic reconnection in the magnetically-dominated relativistic regime

Fan Guo, Yi-Hsin Liu, Xiaocan Li, and 3 more authors

Physics of Plasmas, Aug 2020

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2020PhPl...27h0501G,
  author = {Guo, Fan and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Li}, Hui and {Daughton}, William and {Kilian}, Patrick},
  title = {{Recent progress on particle acceleration and reconnection physics during magnetic reconnection in the magnetically-dominated relativistic regime}},
  journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
  keywords = {Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics},
  year = {2020},
  month = aug,
  volume = {27},
  number = {8},
  eid = {080501},
  pages = {080501},
  doi = {10.1063/5.0012094},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2006.15288},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020PhPl...27h0501G},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

ApJL

The Critical Role of Collisionless Plasma Energization on the Structure of Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection

Yi-Hsin Liu, Shan-Chang Lin, Michael Hesse, and 4 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Mar 2020

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2020ApJ...892L..13L,
  author = {Liu, Yi-Hsin and {Lin}, Shan-Chang and {Hesse}, Michael and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Zhang}, Haocheng and {Peery}, Sarah},
  title = {{The Critical Role of Collisionless Plasma Energization on the Structure of Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
  keywords = {1261, 2089, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2020},
  month = mar,
  volume = {892},
  number = {1},
  eid = {L13},
  pages = {L13},
  doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/ab7d3f},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1910.08988},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020ApJ...892L..13L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel,reconnection:rate}
}

2019

ApJL

Determining the Dominant Acceleration Mechanism during Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection in Large-scale Systems

Fan Guo, Xiaocan Li, William Daughton, and 5 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Jul 2019

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2019ApJ...879L..23G,
  author = {Guo, Fan and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Daughton}, William and {Kilian}, Patrick and {Li}, Hui and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin and {Yan}, Wangcheng and {Ma}, Dylan},
  title = {{Determining the Dominant Acceleration Mechanism during Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection in Large-scale Systems}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, galaxies: jets, magnetic reconnection, relativistic processes, gamma-ray burst: general, pulsars: general, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2019},
  month = jul,
  volume = {879},
  number = {2},
  eid = {L23},
  pages = {L23},
  doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/ab2a15},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1901.08308},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019ApJ...879L..23G},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

2018

ApJL

Large-amplitude Blazar Polarization Angle Swing as a Signature of Magnetic Reconnection

Haocheng Zhang, Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Aug 2018

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2018ApJ...862L..25Z,
  author = {Zhang, Haocheng and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Giannios}, Dimitrios},
  title = {{Large-amplitude Blazar Polarization Angle Swing as a Signature of Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
  keywords = {galaxies: active, galaxies: jets, radiation mechanisms: non-thermal, relativistic processes, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena},
  year = {2018},
  month = aug,
  volume = {862},
  number = {2},
  eid = {L25},
  pages = {L25},
  doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/aad54f},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1807.08420},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018ApJ...862L..25Z},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

2016

PhPl

Particle acceleration during magnetic reconnection in a low-beta pair plasma

Fan Guo, Hui Li, William Daughton, and 2 more authors

Physics of Plasmas, May 2016

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2016PhPl...23e5708G,
  author = {Guo, Fan and {Li}, Hui and {Daughton}, William and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin},
  title = {{Particle acceleration during magnetic reconnection in a low-beta pair plasma}},
  journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
  keywords = {Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2016},
  month = may,
  volume = {23},
  number = {5},
  eid = {055708},
  pages = {055708},
  doi = {10.1063/1.4948284},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1604.02924},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016PhPl...23e5708G},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}

ApJL

Efficient Production of High-energy Nonthermal Particles during Magnetic Reconnection in a Magnetically Dominated Ion-Electron Plasma

Fan Guo, Xiaocan Li, Hui Li, and 6 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Feb 2016

Bib DOI ADS PDF

@article{2016ApJ...818L...9G,
  author = {Guo, Fan and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Li}, Hui and {Daughton}, William and {Zhang}, Bing and {Lloyd-Ronning}, Nicole and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin and {Zhang}, Haocheng and {Deng}, Wei},
  title = {{Efficient Production of High-energy Nonthermal Particles during Magnetic Reconnection in a Magnetically Dominated Ion-Electron Plasma}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, galaxies: jets, gamma-ray burst: general, magnetic reconnection, pulsars: general, relativistic processes, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2016},
  month = feb,
  volume = {818},
  number = {1},
  eid = {L9},
  pages = {L9},
  doi = {10.3847/2041-8205/818/1/L9},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1511.01434},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.HE},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016ApJ...818L...9G},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:rel}
}