Constraints on the Local Sources of Ultra High-Energy Cosmic Rays
arXiv:0809.3788 · doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2009/08/026
Abstract
Ultra high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) are believed to be protons accelerated in magnetized plasma outflows of extra-Galactic sources. The acceleration of protons to ~10^{20} eV requires a source power L>10^{47} erg/s. The absence of steady sources of sufficient power within the GZK horizon of 100 Mpc, implies that UHECR sources are transient. We show that UHECR "flares" should be accompanied by strong X-ray and gamma-ray emission, and that X-ray and gamma-ray surveys constrain flares which last less than a decade to satisfy at least one of the following conditions: (i) L>10^{50} erg/s; (ii) the power carried by accelerated electrons is lower by a factor >10^2 than the power carried by magnetic fields or by >10^3 than the power in accelerated protons; or (iii) the sources exist only at low redshifts, z<<1. The implausibility of requirements (ii) and (iii) argue in favor of transient sources with L>10^{50} erg/s.
7 pages, 1 figure, submitted to JCAP
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- Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays: The Intersection of the Cosmic and Energy Frontiers
- Ultra High Energy Cosmic Ray Acceleration in Engine-driven Relativistic Supernovae
- Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays from Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei
- The Highest-Energy Cosmic Rays Cannot be Dominantly Protons from Steady Sources