Particle radiation from relativistic plasmas contained by soliton waves

In the last few years, the Weibel instability has undergone a change from a marginal phenomenon to a more intense field of research especially in astrophysics. The possibility of magnetic field creation in an unmagnetized plasma enables new applications and the explanation of many scenarios that are still intensely debated. In a previous paper (Schaefer-Rolffs and Lerche 2006 Phys. Plasmas 13 062303), the fundamentals of a nonlinear theory of solitary Weibel modes were derived. The main prerequisite is a bulk of charged particles moving conjoined in one direction, while perpendicular small fluctuations are possible. Such a constraint is obviously fulfilled in any relativistic astrophysical jet, e.g. in gamma-ray bursts or in the jets of active galactic nuclei. This paper provides calculations concerning the frequency spectra of radiation produced from relativistic electrons contained by such solitary waves. Furthermore, the influence of polarization and the Faraday effect are considered