Cygnus X-3 as semi-hidden PeVatron

Abstract

The high-mass X-ray binary Cygnus X-3 has been suggested for a long time to be a source of high-energy photons and neutrinos. In view of the increased sensitivity of current experiments, we examine the acceleration and interactions of high-energy cosmic rays (CRs) in this binary system, assuming that the compact object is a black hole. Using a test-particle approach in a Monte-Carlo framework, we employ as the basic CR acceleration mechanisms magnetic reconnection or second-order Fermi and diffusive shock acceleration. We find that in all three scenarios CRs can be accelerated beyond PeV energies. High-energy photons and neutrinos are produced as secondaries in photo-hadronic interactions of CRs on X-ray photons and in the scattering on gas from the wind of the companion star. Normalising the predicted photon flux to the excess flux observed by LHAASO at energies above PeV in the direction of Cygnus X-3, a CR acceleration efficiency of $10^{-3}$ is sufficient to power the required CR luminosity. Our results suggest that the PeV photon flux from Cygnus X-3 could be in a bright phase significantly increased relative to the average flux of the last years.

7 pages, 8 pdf figures; v2: minor clarifications, accepted in A&A

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Cited by in corpus (1)

• Suppressed diffusion and gamma-ray emission from the Cygnus bubble