Positron Production by Runaway Electrons in Lorentzian Plasmas

2025

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DOI 10.3390/sym17111843
Data confidence 85 high
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Abstract

We study electron–positron pair production by runaway electrons in fusion plasmas. The analysis uses a Coulomb logarithm derived for a Lorentzian plasma, which captures the high-energy “tail” in the non-Maxwellian runaway-electron distribution (κ-distribution). The Coulomb logarithm decreases as the distribution departs further from a Maxwellian. A lower kappa (κ) therefore reduces the Coulomb logarithm and yields a faster decline of the differential positron generation rate with increasing electron energy. Future work will explore how the electron–positron charge asymmetry manifests in their synchrotron radiation.