Correlation of the highest-energy cosmic rays with nearby extragalactic objects

Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory during the past 3.7 years, we demonstrated a correlation between the arrival directions of cosmic rays with energy above 6 x 10(19) electron volts and the positions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) lying within approximately 75 megaparsecs. We reje...

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Veröffentlicht in:	Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2007-11, Vol.318 (5852), p.938-943
Hauptverfasser:	Abraham, J, Abreu, P, Aglietta, M, Aguirre, C, Allard, D, Allekotte, I, Allen, J, Allison, P, Alvarez, C, Alvarez-Muñiz, J, Ambrosio, M, Anchordoqui, L, Andringa, S, Anzalone, A, Aramo, C, Argirò, S, Arisaka, K, Armengaud, E, Arneodo, F, Arqueros, F, Asch, T, Asorey, H, Assis, P, Atulugama, B S, Aublin, J, Ave, M, Avila, G, Bäcker, T, Badagnani, D, Barbosa, A F, Barnhill, D, Barroso, S L C, Bauleo, P, Beatty, J, Beau, T, Becker, B R, Becker, K H, Bellido, J A, Benzvi, S, Berat, C, Bergmann, T, Bernardini, P, Bertou, X, Biermann, P L, Billoir, P, Blanch-Bigas, O, Blanco, F, Blasi, P, Bleve, C, Blümer, H, Bohácová, M, Bonifazi, C, Bonino, R, Boratav, M, Brack, J, Brogueira, P, Brown, W C, Buchholz, P, Bueno, A, Busca, N G, Caballero-Mora, K S, Cai, B, Camin, D V, Caruso, R, Carvalho, W, Castellina, A, Catalano, O, Cataldi, G, Cazón-Boado, L, Cester, R, Chauvin, J, Chiavassa, A, Chinellato, J A, Chou, A, Chye, J, Clark, P D J, Clay, R W, Colombo, E, Conceição, R, Connolly, B, Contreras, F, Coppens, J, Cordier, A, Cotti, U, Coutu, S, Covault, C E, Creusot, A, Cronin, J, Dagoret-Campagne, S, Daumiller, K, Dawson, B R, de Almeida, R M, De Donato, C, de Jong, S J, De La Vega, G, de Mello Junior, W J M, de Mello Neto, J R T, De Mitri, I, de Souza, V, Del Peral, L
Format:	Artikel
Sprache:	eng
Schlagworte:	Astronomy Astrophysics Cosmic background radiation Cosmic rays Cosmic rays (including sources, origin, acceleration, and interactions) Cosmology and Extra-Galactic Astrophysics Earth, ocean, space Exact sciences and technology Physics Sciences of the Universe Stars & galaxies Stellar systems. Galactic and extragalactic objects and systems. The universe Unidentified sources and radiation outside the solar system
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Zusammenfassung:	Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory during the past 3.7 years, we demonstrated a correlation between the arrival directions of cosmic rays with energy above 6 x 10(19) electron volts and the positions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) lying within approximately 75 megaparsecs. We rejected the hypothesis of an isotropic distribution of these cosmic rays with at least a 99% confidence level from a prescribed a priori test. The correlation we observed is compatible with the hypothesis that the highest-energy particles originate from nearby extragalactic sources whose flux has not been substantially reduced by interaction with the cosmic background radiation. AGN or objects having a similar spatial distribution are possible sources.
ISSN:	0036-8075 1095-9203
DOI:	10.1126/science.1151124