High energy gamma ray counterparts of astrophysical sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays
If ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) are accelerated at astrophysical point sources, the identification of such sources can be achieved if there is some kind of radiation at observable wavelengths that may be associated with the acceleration and/or propagation processes. No radiation of this type has so far been detected or at least no such connection has been claimed. The process of photopion production during the propagation of UHECRs from the sources to the Earth results in the generation of charged and neutral pions. The neutral (charged) pions in turn decay to gamma quanta and electrons that initiate an electromagnetic cascade in the universal photon background. We calculate the f…
Upper limit on the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy tau neutrinos from the Pierre Auger Observatory
The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory is sensitive to Earth-skimming tau neutrinos that interact in Earth’s crust. Tau leptons from ντ charged-current interactions can emerge and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a significant electromagnetic component. The data collected between 1 January 2004 and 31 August 2007 are used to place an upper limit on the diffuse flux of ντ at EeV energies. Assuming an E−2ν differential energy spectrum the limit set at 90% C.L. is E2νdNντdEν<1.3×10−7 GeV cm−2 s−1 sr−1 in the energy range 2×1017 eV<E<2×1019 eV.