Enhanced non-adiabatic dynamics in rotating mirrors

Centrifugal potential generated by rotation in open field line configurations improves axial confinement in open field line configurations by adding upon the diamagnetic (mirror) potential. Particle loss into the loss cone of open field line configurations can be generated by non-adiabatic dynamics in the single particle picture, and by collisions when considering collective behavior. It turns out that strong enough rotation can enhance the non-adiabatic dynamics of a particle in a mirror causing non-conservation of the first adiabatic invariant. The non-conservation of the first adiabatic invariant can be particularly important for energetic particles, which may suffer increased phase-space diffusion, leading to enhanced particle losses.