Ultrahigh-energy neutrinos as a probe of espresso-shear acceleration in jets of Centaurus A

2024/10/08 by Rostom Mbarek, Mbarek, Rostom, Damiano Caprioli +3 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) #Neutrino Physics Research

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2410.05696

openalex publication_date 2024/10/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

It has been suggested that Centaurus A (Cen A) could make a contribution to the observed ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray (UHECR) flux. We calculate the flux of astrophysical neutrinos produced by UHECRs accelerated in the jet of Cen A, a close-by jetted active galactic nucleus. We use a bottom-up approach, in which we follow the energization of protons and heavier elements in a magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a relativistic jet with proper parameters of Cen A, also accounting for attenuation losses based on the observed photon fields. We compare the expected neutrino flux with the sensitivity of current and planned neutrino detectors. We find that the detection of ∼ 10¹⁷-10¹⁸ eV neutrinos from Cen A would require ultimate neutrino detectors that reach a point source sensitivity of ∼ \rm a~few×10^-13~\rm erg~\rm cm^-2~\rm s^-1. Successful detection, though challenging, would be useful in constraining the Cen A contribution to the UHECRs.

Cited by

• The source of the cosmic-ray excess in the Centaurus region -- constraints on possible candidates, mass composition and cosmic magnetic fields

Related

• Cosmic Ray Acceleration in Active Galactic Nuclei - On Centaurus A as a possible UHECR Source
• Probing the environments surrounding ultrahigh energy cosmic ray accelerators and their implications for astrophysical neutrinos
• High energy cosmic ray and neutrino astronomy
• Galactic Sources of High Energy Neutrinos
• UHECR propagation from Centaurus A