Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays from Black Hole Jets of Radio Galaxies

• Main Authors: Dermer, C. D, Razzaque, S, Finke, J. D, Atoyan, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 18-03-2009
• Subjects: Physics - Astrophysics of Galaxies; Physics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics; Physics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics; Physics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena; Physics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics; Physics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.0811.1160

New J.Phys.11:065016,2009 The Auger Collaboration reports that the arrival directions of >60 EeV
ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) cluster along the supergalactic plane
and correlate with active galactic nuclei (AGN) within ~100 Mpc. The
association of several events with the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A supports
the paradigm that UHECRs are powered by supermassive black-hole engines and
accelerated to ultra-high energies in the shocks formed by variable plasma
winds in the inner jets of radio galaxies. The GZK horizon length of 75 EeV
UHECR protons is ~100 Mpc, so that the Auger results are consistent with an
assumed proton composition of the UHECRs. In this scenario, the sources of
UHECRs are FR II radio galaxies and FR I galaxies like Cen A with scattered
radiation fields that enhance UHECR neutral-beam production. Radio galaxies
with jets pointed away from us can still be observed as UHECR sources due to
deflection of UHECRs by magnetic fields in the radio lobes of these galaxies. A
broadband ~1 MeV -- 10 EeV radiation component in the spectra of blazar AGN is
formed by UHECR-induced cascade radiation in the extragalactic background light
(EBL). This emission is too faint to be seen from Cen A, but could be detected
from more luminous blazars.