Unified interpretation of cosmic ray nuclei and antiproton recent measurements

Abstract

We use our numerical code, DRAGON, to study the implications of recent data on our knowledge of the propagation properties of cosmic ray nuclei in the Galaxy. We show that B/C (as well as N/O and C/O) data, including those recently taken by CREAM, and p ¯ / p data, especially including recent PAMELA results, can consistently be fitted within a unique diffusion–reacceleration model. The requirement that light nuclei and p ¯ data are consistently reproduced within experimental uncertainties places significant limits on the main propagation parameters. In particular, we find the allowed range of the diffusion coefficient spectral index to be 0.3 < δ < 0.6 at 95% confidence level and that Kraichnan type diffusion is favored with respect to Kolmogorov. While some amount of reacceleration is required, only a limited range of the Alfvèn velocity value (10 ≲ v A ≲ 20 km s −1) is allowed by a combined analysis of nuclear and antiproton data, which we perform here for the first time. If antiproton data are not used to constrain the propagation parameters, a larger set of models is allowed. In this case, we determine which combinations of the relevant parameters maximize and minimize the antiproton flux under the condition of still fitting light nuclei data at 95% C.L. These models may then be used to constrain a possible extra antiproton component arising from astrophysical or exotic sources (e.g. dark matter annihilation or decay).