Introduction to Particle Acceleration in the Cosmos

Accelerated charged particles have been used on Earth since 1930 to explore the very essence of matter, for industrial applications, and for medical treatments. Throughout the universe, nature employs a dizzying array of acceleration processes to produce particles that span 20 orders of magnitude in energy range, while shaping our cosmic environment. Here, we introduce and review the basic physical processes causing particle acceleration in astrophysical plasmas, from geospace to the outer reaches of the cosmos. These processes are chiefly divided into four categories: adiabatic and other forms of nonstochastic acceleration, magnetic energy storage and stochastic acceleration, shock acceleration, and plasma wave and turbulent acceleration. The purpose of this introduction is to set the stage and context for the individual papers included in this monograph.