6533b85bfe1ef96bd12bbe40

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Ultra–High‐Energy Cosmic Rays from Hypothetical Quark Novae

P. KeränenJukka MaalampiRachid Ouyed

subject

PhysicsAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaQuark-novaAstronomy and AstrophysicsCosmic rayAstrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic AstrophysicsAstrophysics01 natural sciences7. Clean energyRelativistic particleNeutron starSupernovaPulsarQuark starSpace and Planetary Science0103 physical sciencesUltra-high-energy cosmic ray010306 general physics010303 astronomy & astrophysics

description

We explore acceleration of ions in the Quark Nova (QN) scenario, where a neutron star experiences an explosive phase transition into a quark star (born in the propeller regime). In this picture, two cosmic ray components are isolated: one related to the randomized pulsar wind and the other to the propelled wind, both boosted by the ultra-relativistic Quark Nova shock. The latter component acquires energies $10^{15} {\rm eV} 10^{18.6}$ eV. The composition is dominated by ions present in the pulsar wind in the energy range above $10^{18.6}$ eV, while at energies below $10^{18}$ eV the propelled ejecta, consisting of the fall-back neutron star crust material from the explosion, is the dominant one. Added to these two components, the propeller injects relativistic particles with Lorentz factors $\Gamma_{\rm prop.} \sim 1-1000$, later to be accelerated by galactic supernova shocks. The QN model appears to be able to account for the extragalactic cosmic rays above the ankle and to contribute a few percent of the galactic cosmic rays below the ankle. We predict few hundred ultra-high energy cosmic ray events above $10^{19}$ eV for the Pierre Auger detector per distant QN, while some thousands are predicted for the proposed EUSO and OWL detectors.

https://doi.org/10.1086/430099