Constraining the sources of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays across and above the ankle with the spectrum and composition data measured at the Pierre Auger Observatory

In this work we present the interpretation of the energy spectrum and mass composition data as measured by the Pierre Auger Collaboration above 6 × 10 17 eV. We use an astrophysical model with two extragalactic source populations to model the hardening of the cosmic-ray flux at around 5 × 10 18 eV (...

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Veröffentlicht in:	JCAP 2023-05, Vol.2023 (5), p.24
Hauptverfasser:	Abreu, P., Aglietta, M., Allekotte, I., Almeida Cheminant, K., Almela, A., Alvarez-Muñiz, J., Andrada, B., Andringa, S., Aramo, C., Arnone, E., Arteaga Velázquez, J.C., Biteau, J., Boháčová, M., Boncioli, D., Brichetto Orchera, P.G., Buitink, S., Buscemi, M., Caruso, R., Castellina, A., Cazon, L., Clay, R.W., Colalillo, R., Coluccia, M.R., Condorelli, A., Covault, C.E., de Jong, S.J., de Mello Neto, J.R.T., Deval, L., D'Olivo, J.C., Epicoco, I., Etchegoyen, A., Farrar, G., Fazzini, N., Feldbusch, F., Flaggs, B., Fodran, T., Gherghel-Lascu, A., Ghia, P.L., Giaccari, U., Góra, D., Gorgi, A., Harari, D., Harvey, V.M., Haungs, A., Hebbeker, T., Insolia, A., Johnsen, J.A., Jurysek, J., Kleifges, M., Kleinfeller, J., Lenok, V., López, R., Lu, L., Mandat, D., Manshanden, J., Mariani, F.M., Mariazzi, A.G., Martello, D., Martins, M.A., Mathes, H.J., Mayotte, S., Mazur, P.O., Medina-Tanco, G., Miramonti, L., Namasaka, W.M., Nasr-Esfahani, A., Parra, A., Pawlowsky, J., Pȩkala, J., Perrone, L., Rautenberg, J., Reininghaus, M., Rossoni, S., Salazar, H., Sanabria Gomez, J.D., Schäfer, C.M., Scherini, V., Schieler, H., Schlüter, F., Scholten, O., Schröder, F.G., Sciutto, S.J., Scornavacche, M., Stanca, D., Stassi, P., Straub, M., Streich, A., Suárez-Durán, M., Tapia, A., Tobiska, P., Todero Peixoto, C.J., Tomé, B., Trimarelli, C., Ulrich, R., Vacula, M., Valdés Galicia, J.F., Watson, A.A., Wundheiler, B., Yushkov, A., Zapparrata, O.
Format:	Artikel
Sprache:	eng
Schlagworte:	Ankle Astronomical models ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS Astrophysics Augers Composition cosmic ray experiments Cosmic ray showers cosmic ray theory Cosmic rays Energy distribution Energy spectra High energy astronomy particle acceleration Physics Red shift Rigidity ultra high energy cosmic rays
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Zusammenfassung:	In this work we present the interpretation of the energy spectrum and mass composition data as measured by the Pierre Auger Collaboration above 6 × 10 17 eV. We use an astrophysical model with two extragalactic source populations to model the hardening of the cosmic-ray flux at around 5 × 10 18 eV (the so-called “ankle” feature) as a transition between these two components. We find our data to be well reproduced if sources above the ankle emit a mixed composition with a hard spectrum and a low rigidity cutoff. The component below the ankle is required to have a very soft spectrum and a mix of protons and intermediate-mass nuclei. The origin of this intermediate-mass component is not well constrained and it could originate from either Galactic or extragalactic sources. To the aim of evaluating our capability to constrain astrophysical models, we discuss the impact on the fit results of the main experimental systematic uncertainties and of the assumptions about quantities affecting the air shower development as well as the propagation and redshift distribution of injected ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs).
ISSN:	1475-7516 1475-7516
DOI:	10.1088/1475-7516/2023/05/024