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Opis: The combined fit of the measured energy spectrum and shower maximum depth distributions of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays is known to constrain the parameters of astrophysical models with homogeneous source distributions. Studies of the distribution of the cosmic-ray arrival directions show a better agreement with models in which a fraction of the flux is non-isotropic and associated with the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A or with catalogs such as that of starburst galaxies. Here, we present a novel combination of both analyses by a simultaneous fit of arrival directions, energy spectrum, and composition data measured at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The model takes into account a rigidity-dependent magnetic field blurring and an energy-dependent evolution of the catalog contribution shaped by interactions during propagation. We find that a model containing a flux contribution from the starburst galaxy catalog of around 20% at 40 EeV with a magnetic field blurring of around 20◦ for a rigidity of 10EV provides a fair simultaneous description of all three observables. The starburst galaxy model is favored with a significance of 4.5σ (considering experimental systematic effects) compared to a reference model with only homogeneously distributed background sources. By investigating a scenario with Centaurus A as a single source in combination with the homogeneous background, we confirm that this region of the sky provides the dominant contribution to the observed anisotropy signal. Models containing a catalog of jetted active galactic nuclei whose flux scales with the γ-ray emission are, however, disfavored as they cannot adequately describe the measured arrival directions.
Ključne besede: ultra high energy cosmic rays, cosmic ray experiments, Pierre Auger Observatory, active galactic nuclei
Objavljeno v RUNG: 19.01.2024; Ogledov: 1408; Prenosov: 40
Celotno besedilo (3,93 MB)
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Opis: Astrophysical neutral particles, such as neutrons, can point directly to their sources since they are not affected by magnetic fields. We expect neutron production in the immediate vicinity of the acceleration sites due to cosmic ray interactions. Hence, a high-energy neutron flux could help to identify sources of cosmic rays in the EeV range. Free neutrons, although unstable, can travel a mean distance of 9.2 kpc times their energy in EeV. Due to the neutron instability, we limit the searches to Galactic candidate sources. Since air showers initiated by a neutron are indistinguishable from those generated by a proton, we would recognize a neutron flux as an excess of events from the direction of its source. Previous searches using events with a zenith angle up to 60^◦ and energies above 1 EeV found no surplus of events that would indicate a neutron flux. We present the results of the search for evidence of high-energy neutron fluxes using a data set about three times larger than the previous work. We investigate the sky in the field of view of the Pierre Auger Observatory, narrowing down to specific directions of candidate sources. With respect to previous works, we extend the angular range up to zenith angles of 80^◦ , reaching declinations from −90^◦ to +45^◦ , and the energy range going as low as 0.1 EeV. The extension in the field of view provides exposure to the Crab Nebula for the first time.
Ključne besede: neutrons, cosmic ray, Pierre Auger Observatory, Crab Nebula, proton, high-energy neutron flux
Objavljeno v RUNG: 14.11.2023; Ogledov: 1753; Prenosov: 6
Celotno besedilo (472,98 KB)
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Opis: The observation of primary photons with energies around 10[sup]16 eV would be particularly interesting after the discovery of Galactic gamma-ray sources with spectra extending into the PeV range. Since photons are connected to the acceleration of charged particles, searches for photons enhance the multi-messenger understanding of cosmic-ray sources as well as of transient astrophysical phenomena, while offering wealthy connections to neutrino astronomy and dark matter. Additionally, diffuse photon fluxes are expected from cosmic-ray interactions with Galactic matter and background radiation fields. Previously, the energy domain between 1 PeV and 200 PeV was only explored from the Northern Hemisphere. The Pierre Auger Observatory is the largest astroparticle experiment in operation and, thanks to its location, has a sizable exposure to the Southern sky, including the Galactic center region. In this contribution, we present the first search for photons from the Southern hemisphere between 50 and 200 PeV exploiting the Auger data acquired during ∼4 yr of operation. We describe the method to discriminate photons against the dominating hadronic background; it is based on the measurements of air showers taken with the low-energy extension of the Pierre Auger Observatory composed by 19 water-Cherenkov detectors spanning ∼ 2km[sup]2 and an Underground Muon Detector. The search for a diffuse flux of photons is presented and its results are interpreted according to theoretical model predictions. This study extends the range of Auger photon searches to almost four decades in energy.
Ključne besede: Pierre Auger Observatory, cosmic rays, photons, water-Cherenkov detectors, underground muon detectors
Objavljeno v RUNG: 26.09.2023; Ogledov: 1615; Prenosov: 7
Celotno besedilo (707,98 KB)
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Opis: The Pierre Auger Observatory uses fluorescence telescopes in conjunction with ground level particle detectors to measure high-energy cosmic rays and reconstruct, with greater precision, their arrival direction, their energy and the depth of shower maximum. The depth of shower maximum is important to infer cosmic ray mass composition. The fluorescence detector is capable of directly measuring the longitudinal shower development, which is used to reconstruct the cosmic ray energy and the atmospheric depth of shower maximum. However, given the limited field of view of the fluorescence detector, the shower profile is not always fully contained within the detector observation volume. Therefore, considerations need to be taken in order to reconstruct some events. In this contribution we will describe the method that the Pierre Auger Collaboration uses to reconstruct the longitudinal profiles of showers and present the details of its performance, namely its resolution and systematic uncertainties.
Ključne besede: ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, Pierre Auger Observatory, extensive air showers, longitudinal shower profiles
Objavljeno v RUNG: 20.09.2023; Ogledov: 1731; Prenosov: 7
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Opis: We use the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory to search for air showers initiated by photons with an energy above 10[sup]19 eV. Photons in the zenith angle range from 30 deg. to 60 deg. can be identified in the overwhelming background of showers initiated by charged cosmic rays through the broader time structure of the signals induced in the water-Cherenkov detectors of the array and the steeper lateral distribution of shower particles reaching ground. Applying the search method to data collected between January 2004 and June 2020, upper limits at 95% CL are set to an E[sup]-2 diffuse flux of ultra-high energy photons above 10[sup]19 eV, 2 × 10[sup]19 eV and 4 × 10[sup]19 eV amounting to 2.11 × 10[sup]-3, 3.12 × 10[sup]-4 and 1.72 × 10[sup]-4 km-2 sr-1 yr-1, respectively. While the sensitivity of the present search around 2 × 10[sup]19 eV approaches expectations of cosmogenic photon fluxes in the case of a pure-proton composition, it is one order of magnitude above those from more realistic mixed-composition models. The inferred limits have also implications for the search of super-heavy dark matter that are discussed and illustrated.
Ključne besede: ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, UHE photons, Pierre Auger Observatory, extensive air showers, water Cherenkov detectors
Objavljeno v RUNG: 18.08.2023; Ogledov: 1612; Prenosov: 14
Celotno besedilo (2,46 MB)
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