The energy production rate density of cosmic rays in the local universe is ∼1044−45erg Mpc−3 yr−1\sim10^{44-45}\rm erg~Mpc^{-3}~yr^{-1} at all particle energies

preprint2013arXivOpen access

Abstract

The energy output (per logarithmic interval of particle energies) of Cosmic Rays (CRs) with energies 10GeV≲εp≲100GeV10{\rm GeV}\lesssim\varepsilon_p\lesssim100{\rm GeV} is ∼1047erg\sim 10^{47}\rm erg per solar mass of star−-formation, based on the CR production rate in the Milky Way and in starburst galaxies, implying a generation rate of εp2Q∼1045erg Mpc−3 yr−1\varepsilon_p^2Q\sim 10^{45}\rm erg~Mpc^{-3}~yr^{-1} in the local universe. It is only ∼10\sim 10 times larger than the output, εp2Q=0.5±0.2×1044erg Mpc−3 yr−1\varepsilon_p^2 Q=0.5\pm0.2\times 10^{44}\rm erg~Mpc^{-3}~yr^{-1}, of Ultra High Energy CRs (UHECRs) at energies 1010.5GeV<εp<1012GeV10^{10.5}{\rm GeV}<\varepsilon_p<10^{12}\rm GeV (obtained assuming they are mostly protons), which in turn is comparable to the lower limit of εp2Q≥0.5×1044erg Mpc−3 yr−1\varepsilon_p^2 Q\ge 0.5\times 10^{44}\rm erg~Mpc^{-3}~yr^{-1} of high energy CRs with 106GeV≲εp≲108GeV10^6{\rm GeV}\lesssim\varepsilon_p\lesssim 10^{8}\rm GeV implied by the saturation of the Waxman-Bahcall bound by the neutrino excess recently discovered by IceCube. These similarities are consistent with a flat production spectrum, εp2Q∼const\varepsilon_p^2 Q\sim \text{const} for CRs at all observed energies. If a flat production spectrum is generated by our galaxy, the observed CR flux in the range 106.5−109.5GeV10^{6.5}-10^{9.5}\rm GeV, above the "knee", is suppressed compared to lower energies due to propagation effects rather than acceleration upper limits. As suggested by Parizot and Aublin, the most exciting possibility is that cosmic rays at all energies are emitted from a single type of (unknown) sources, which can not be supernova remnants.

Explore this paper’s authors, topics and related work.

Building this map preview

BZPEER is loading the nearby papers, people, topics and institutions for this page.

Reviews 0

Write a reviewWrite

No reviews yet.

Discussion 0

Add a commentWrite

No comments yet.