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Opis: We use a new method to estimate the injected mass composition of ultrahigh cosmic rays (UHECRs) at energies higher than 10 EeV. The method is based on comparison of the energy-dependent distribution of cosmic ray arrival directions as measured by the Telescope Array (TA) experiment with that calculated in a given putative model of UHECR under the assumption that sources trace the large-scale structure (LSS) of the Universe. As we report in the companion Letter, the TA data show large deflections with respect to the LSS which can be explained, assuming small extragalactic magnetic fields (EGMF), by an intermediate composition changing to a heavy one (iron) in the highest energy bin. Here we show that these results are robust to uncertainties in UHECR injection spectra, the energy scale of the experiment and galactic magnetic fields. The assumption of weak EGMF, however, strongly affects this interpretation at all but the highest energies E > 100 EeV, where the remarkable isotropy of the data implies a heavy injected composition even in the case of strong EGMF. This result also holds if UHECR sources are as rare as 2 × 10[sup]−5 Mpc[sup]−3, that is the conservative lower limit for the source number density.
Ključne besede: ultrahigh energy cosmic rays, large-scale structure, extragalactic magnetic fields, UHECR propagation, Telescope Array, UHECR mass composition, UHECR arrival directions
Objavljeno v RUNG: 23.04.2025; Ogledov: 22; Prenosov: 0
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Opis: For the past 20 years, the Pierre Auger Observatory has collected the largest dataset of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) ever achieved using a hybrid detector. The study of this dataset has led to numerous unexpected discoveries that enhance our understanding of the origins of UHECRs. One of the key points in this study is their mass composition. In this work, we will present the most recent results regarding the mass composition of UHECRs at the Pierre Auger Observatory. In particular, we will focus on the measurement of the depth of the maximum of air-shower profiles, denoted as Xmax . This determination has been achieved through both direct measurements from the Fluorescence Detector data and the application of machine learning for estimating Xmax on an event-by-event basis using the Surface Detector data. The latter has allowed us to extend the measurement to energies up to 100 EeV and indicates a correlation between changes in composition and three features of the energy spectrum (ankle, instep, steepening). Moreover, the results provide evidence of a heavy and nearly pure primary beam for energies greater than 50 EeV that is independent of the hadronic interaction model. The implications of these findings for astrophysics and for modelling hadronic interactions will be discussed.
Ključne besede: ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, Pierre Auger Observatory, extensive air showers, UHECR mass composition
Objavljeno v RUNG: 28.03.2025; Ogledov: 339; Prenosov: 8
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Opis: The Pierre Auger Observatory has measured the spectrum of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays with unprecedented precision, as well as the distribution of the depths of the maximum of the shower development in the atmosphere, which provide a reliable estimator of the mass composition. The measurements above 10[sup]17.8 eV can be interpreted assuming two populations of uniformly distributed sources, one with a soft spectrum dominating the flux below few EeV, and another one with a very hard spectrum dominating above that energy. When considering the presence of intense extragalactic magnetic fields between our Galaxy and the closest sources and a high-energy population with low spatial density, a magnetic horizon appears, suppressing the cosmic ray's flux at low-energies, which could explain the very hard spectrum observed at Earth. The distribution of arrival directions, which at energies above 32 EeV shows indications of a correlation with a population of starburst galaxies or the radio galaxy Centaurus A (Cen A), are also important to constrain the sources. It is shown that adding a fractional contribution from these sources of about 20% on top of an homogeneous background leads to an improvement of the model likelihood.
Ključne besede: ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, UHECR energy spectrum, UHECR mass composition, UHECR anisotropies, UHECR propagation, UHECR data interpretation, extragalactic magnetic fields, starburst galaxies, Centaurus A, Pierre Auger Observatory
Objavljeno v RUNG: 24.03.2025; Ogledov: 293; Prenosov: 7
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Opis: We present measurements of the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum Xmax, inferred for the first time on an event-by-event level using the Surface Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. Using deep learning, we were able to extend measurements of the Xmax distributions up to energies of 100 EeV (10[sup]20 eV), not yet revealed by current measurements, providing new insights into the mass composition of cosmic rays at extreme energies. Gaining a 10-fold increase in statistics compared to the Fluorescence Detector data, we find evidence that the rate of change of the average Xmax with the logarithm of energy features three breaks at 6.5 ± 0.6 (stat) ± 1 (sys) EeV, 11 ± 2 (stat) ± 1 (sys) EeV, and 31 ± 5 (stat) ± 3 (sys) EeV, in the vicinity to the three prominent features (ankle, instep, suppression) of the cosmic-ray flux. The energy evolution of the mean and standard deviation of the measured Xmax distributions indicates that the mass composition becomes increasingly heavier and purer, thus being incompatible with a large fraction of light nuclei between 50 EeV and 100 EeV.
Ključne besede: ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), extensive air showers, Pierre Auger Observatory, UHECR mass composition, depth of the shower maximum, fluorescence detector, surface detector, deep learning
Objavljeno v RUNG: 20.01.2025; Ogledov: 660; Prenosov: 5
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Opis: This study comprehensively investigates the gamma-ray dim population of Fanaroff–Riley Type 0 (FR0) radio galaxies as potentially significant sources of ultra–high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs, E > 10[sup]18 eV) detected on Earth. While individual FR0 luminosities are relatively low compared to the more powerful Fanaroff–Riley Type 1 and Type 2 galaxies, FR0s are substantially more prevalent in the local universe, outnumbering the more energetic galaxies by a factor of ∼5 within a redshift of z ≤ 0.05. Employing CRPropa3 simulations, we estimate the mass composition and energy spectra of UHECRs originating from FR0 galaxies for energies above 10[sup]18.6 eV. This estimation fits data from the Pierre Auger Observatory (Auger) using three extensive air shower models; both constant and energy-dependent observed elemental fractions are considered. The simulation integrates an approximately isotropic distribution of FR0 galaxies, extrapolated from observed characteristics, with UHECR propagation in the intergalactic medium, incorporating various plausible configurations of extragalactic magnetic fields, both random and structured. We then compare the resulting emission spectral indices, rigidity cutoffs, and elemental fractions with recent Auger results. In total, 25 combined energy-spectrum and mass-composition fits are considered. Beyond the cosmic-ray fluxes emitted by FR0 galaxies, this study predicts the secondary photon and neutrino fluxes from UHECR interactions with intergalactic cosmic photon backgrounds. The multimessenger approach, encompassing observational data and theoretical models, helps elucidate the contribution of low-luminosity FR0 radio galaxies to the total cosmic-ray energy density.
Ključne besede: ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, UHECRs, UHECR energy spectrum, Pierre Auger Observatory, UHECR mass composition, UHECR sources, extragalactic magnetic fields, UHECR propagation, CRPropa tool
Objavljeno v RUNG: 06.01.2025; Ogledov: 624; Prenosov: 10
Celotno besedilo (4,14 MB)
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