Stochastic Cyclotron Acceleration

• The ions are trapped in a gradient B trap. (discovered theoretically by Singer in 1957.)

• Waves that compress the trap with the same frequency as ion drift will accelerate the ions by betatron acceleration (1st order).

• But solar wind fluctuations are thought to be random—thus the ions diffuse through energy space—stochastic 2nd order accel.

• Perhaps not as fast as 1st, but accel. nonetheless