Test particles in Bifrost simulations - How do solar flares accelerate electrons?
Solar flares accelerate particles up to relativistic speeds, but the dominant acceleration mechanisms are heavily debated. So are their exact origins. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations cannot simulate these particles because they are nonthermal and particle-in-cell models are too expensive to cover the large region of plasma that is coupled to the particle acceleration.
Hybrid approaches (combinations of MHD and kinetic models) are feasible compromises. In this colloquium I will talk about our use of test particles to study acceleration mechanisms and sites in a semi-realistic, 2.5D, MHD, coronal jet.
