Modeling the spectrum and composition of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays with two populations of extragalactic sources

Saikat Das (Astronomy and Astrophysics Group, Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, 560080, India) ; Soebur Razzaque (Centre for Astro-Particle Physics (CAPP) and Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa) ; Nayantara Gupta (Astronomy and Astrophysics Group, Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, 560080, India)

We fit the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray (UHECR, $$E\gtrsim 0.1$$ E 0.1 EeV) spectrum and composition data from the Pierre Auger Observatory at energies $$E\gtrsim 5\cdot 10^{18}$$ E 5 · 10 18 eV, i.e., beyond the ankle using two populations of astrophysical sources. One population, accelerating dominantly protons ( $$^1$$ 1 H), extends up to the highest observed energies with maximum energy close to the GZK cutoff and injection spectral index near the Fermi acceleration model; while another population accelerates light-to-heavy nuclei ( $$^4$$ 4 He, $$^{14}$$ 14 N, $$^{28}$$ 28 Si, $$^{56}$$ 56 Fe) with a relatively low rigidity cutoff and hard injection spectrum. A significant improvement in the combined fit is noted as we go from a one-population to two-population model. For the latter, we constrain the maximum allowed proton fraction at the highest-energy bin within 3.5 $$\sigma $$ σ statistical significance. In the single-population model, low-luminosity gamma-ray bursts turn out to match the best-fit evolution parameter. In the two-population model, the active galactic nuclei is consistent with the best-fit redshift evolution parameter of the pure proton-emitting sources, while the tidal disruption events could be responsible for emitting heavier nuclei. We also compute expected cosmogenic neutrino flux in such a hybrid source population scenario and discuss possibilities to detect these neutrinos by upcoming detectors to shed light on the sources of UHECRs.

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      "value": "We fit the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray (UHECR,  $$E\\gtrsim 0.1$$  <math> <mrow> <mi>E</mi> <mo>\u2273</mo> <mn>0.1</mn> </mrow> </math>   EeV) spectrum and composition data from the Pierre Auger Observatory at energies  $$E\\gtrsim 5\\cdot 10^{18}$$  <math> <mrow> <mi>E</mi> <mo>\u2273</mo> <mn>5</mn> <mo>\u00b7</mo> <msup> <mn>10</mn> <mn>18</mn> </msup> </mrow> </math>   eV, i.e., beyond the ankle using two populations of astrophysical sources. One population, accelerating dominantly protons ( $$^1$$  <math> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mn>1</mn> </msup> </math>  H), extends up to the highest observed energies with maximum energy close to the GZK cutoff and injection spectral index near the Fermi acceleration model; while another population accelerates light-to-heavy nuclei ( $$^4$$  <math> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mn>4</mn> </msup> </math>  He,  $$^{14}$$  <math> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mn>14</mn> </msup> </math>  N,  $$^{28}$$  <math> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mn>28</mn> </msup> </math>  Si,  $$^{56}$$  <math> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mn>56</mn> </msup> </math>  Fe) with a relatively low rigidity cutoff and hard injection spectrum. A significant improvement in the combined fit is noted as we go from a one-population to two-population model. For the latter, we constrain the maximum allowed proton fraction at the highest-energy bin within 3.5 $$\\sigma $$  <math> <mi>\u03c3</mi> </math>   statistical significance. In the single-population model, low-luminosity gamma-ray bursts turn out to match the best-fit evolution parameter. In the two-population model, the active galactic nuclei is consistent with the best-fit redshift evolution parameter of the pure proton-emitting sources, while the tidal disruption events could be responsible for emitting heavier nuclei. We also compute expected cosmogenic neutrino flux in such a hybrid source population scenario and discuss possibilities to detect these neutrinos by upcoming detectors to shed light on the sources of UHECRs."
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Published on:
20 January 2021
Publisher:
Springer
Published in:
European Physical Journal C , Volume 81 (2021)
Issue 1
Pages 1-15
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-08885-4
Copyrights:
The Author(s)
Licence:
CC-BY-4.0

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