The role of coherent turbulent structures in influencing particle transport and energization

Populations of energetic particles, ranging from solar energetic particles to incredibly high-energy cosmic rays, are ubiquitous in space and astrophysical plasmas. Several intertwined phenomena, including shocks, magnetic reconnection, jets, and turbulence, are responsible for the efficient energization of particles and for determining their transport properties.

Plasma turbulence produces patchy coherent structures, such as reconnecting current sheets, plasmoids, and vortices across a vast range of spatial scales. Under some circumstances, these structures can entrap particles, thus providing fast energization through, for example, drift acceleration. I will review some of these mechanisms and outline recent numerical efforts aimed at investigating how coherent structures, such as large-scale eddies or flux ropes, impact particle transport and energization. I will also comment on the applicability of these results in space and astrophysical contexts.