14–24 Jul 2025
CICG - International Conference Centre - Geneva, Switzerland
Europe/Zurich timezone

Micromirror-Induced Anomalous Cosmic-Ray Transport in Galaxy Clusters

21 Jul 2025, 13:35
15m
Room B

Room B

Talk Cosmic-Ray Direct & Acceleration CRD

Speaker

Patrick Reichherzer (University of Oxford)

Description

The transport of cosmic rays (CRs) across galaxy clusters reflects a reciprocal interaction across plasma scales. Large-scale processes (≳kpc) typically influence microscale behavior (~npc), but we show that microscale fluctuations from the mirror instability—inherently patchy and intermittent in nature—shape large-scale radio morphologies in galaxy clusters by mediating CR propagation. Our multi-scale simulations (hybrid-kinetic to MHD) show a scale-dependent anomalous CR transport in this heterogeneous medium, for which we present a theoretical expression, with subdiffusion dominating at small scales and advection by turbulent motions taking over at larger scales. This interplay influences radio morphologies, revealing the significant macroscopic impact of microscale physics on CR transport.

Author

Patrick Reichherzer (University of Oxford)

Co-authors

Robert Ewart (Princeton University) Archie Bott (University of Oxford) Stephen Majeski (Princeton University) Matthew Kunz (Princeton University) Michael Nastac (University of Oxford) Alexander Schekochihin (University of Oxford)

Presentation materials