Astrophysical origins of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

2004/02/29 by D. F. Torres, Diego F. Torres, Luis A. Anchordoqui · 132 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Active galactic nucleus #Anisotropy #Astronomy #Astroparticle physics #Astrophysical jet #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Cosmic microwave background #Cosmic ray #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Electroweak scale #Galaxy #Magnetar #Neutrino #Neutrino Physics Research #Neutrino astronomy #Neutrino detector #Neutrino oscillation #Particle physics #Physics #Pulsar #Quasar #Ultra-high-energy cosmic ray #astro-ph #hep-ph #hep-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0034-4885/67/9/r03

published in Reports on Progress in Physics 67(9), 1663-1730 (IOP Publishing) · Higher resolution version of Fig. 7 is available at http://www.angelfire.com/id/dtorres/down3.html. Solicited review article prepared for Reports on Progress in Physics, final version

arxiv created 2004/07/13 · openalex publication_date 2004/07/30 · arxiv updated 2014/10/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

In the first part of this review we discuss the basic observational features at the end of the cosmic ray (CR) energy spectrum. We also present there the main characteristics of each of the experiments involved in the detection of these particles. We then briefly discuss the status of the chemical composition and the distribution of arrival directions of CRs. After that, we examine the energy losses during propagation, introducing the Greisen–Zaptsepin–Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff, and discuss the level of confidence with which each experiment has detected particles beyond the GZK energy limit. In the second part of the review, we discuss the astrophysical environments that are able to accelerate particles up to such high energies, including active galactic nuclei, large scale galactic wind termination shocks, relativistic jets and hot-spots of Fanaroff–Riley radio galaxies, pulsars, magnetars, quasar remnants, starbursts, colliding galaxies, and gamma ray burst fireballs. In the third part of the review we provide a brief summary of scenarios which try to explain the super-GZK events with the help of new physics beyond the standard model. In the last section, we give an overview on neutrino telescopes and existing limits on the energy spectrum and discuss some of the prospects for a new (multi-particle) astronomy. Finally, we outline how extraterrestrial neutrino fluxes can be used to probe new physics beyond the electroweak scale.

Citations

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Cited by

• Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays
• Ultra-high energy cosmic rays, spiral galaxies and magnetars