Impulsive Electron Acceleration by Gravitational Waves

We investigate the nonlinear interaction of a strong gravitational wave with the plasma during the collapse of a massive magnetized star and subsequent formation of a black hole or during the merging of neutron star binaries (the central engine). We found that under certain conditions this coupling may result in an efficient energy-space diffusion of particles. We suggest that the atmosphere created around the central engine is filled with threedimensional magnetic neutral sheets (magnetic nulls). We demonstrate that the passage of strong pulses of gravitational waves through the magnetic neutral sheets accelerates electrons to very high energies. Superposition of many such short-lived accelerators, embedded inside a turbulent plasma, may be the source of the observed impulsive short-lived bursts. We conclude that in several astrophysical events, gravitational pulses may accelerate the tail of the ambient plasma to very high energies and become the driver for many types of astrophysical bursts. Subject headings: gamma rays: bursts — gravitational waves