The review articles collected in this volume present a critical assessment of particle acceleration mechanisms and observations from suprathermal particles in the magnetosphere and heliosphere to high-energy cosmic rays, thus covering a range of energies over seventeen orders of magnitude, from 10 3 eV to 10 20 eV. The main themes are observations of accelerated populations from the magnetosphere to extragalactic scales and assessments of the physical processes underlying particle acceleration in different environments (magnetospheres, the solar atmosphere, the heliosphere, supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae and relativistic outflows). Several contributions review the status of shock acceleration in different environments and also the role of turbulence in particle acceleration. Observational results are compared with modelling in different parameter regimes. The book concludes with contributions on the status of particle acceleration research and its future perspectives.

This volume is aimed at graduate students and researchers active in astrophysics and space science.

Previously published in Space Science Reviews journal, Vol. 173 Nos. 1-4, 2012.

Presents a comprehensive and up-to-date review of particle acceleration over the complete range of accelerated particles observed in the near-Earth space to those originating in the most distant parts of the Universe Reviews observations of accelerated populations from the magnetosphere to extragalactic scales Covers the complete range of topics in the field from space physics to astrophysics Written by a rare and unique collection of experts

Inhalt
From the Contents: Ion Acceleration at the Earth's Bow Shock.- Particle Acceleration in the Magnetotail andAurora.- Acceleration of Particles to High Energies in Earth's Radiation Belts.- High-energy Atmospheric Physics: Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes and Related Phenomena.- Particle Acceleration at the Sun, Current Fragmentation and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares.- Heliospheric Particle Acceleration.- The Acceleration Mechanism of Anomalous Cosmic Rays.- Particle Acceleration in Relativistic Outflows.- Pulsar Wind Nebulae as Cosmic Pevatrons: A Current Sheet's Tale.