Propagation Of Protons Research Articles

UHECR theory and phenomenology: Summary and outlook

Theorists and phenomenologists have contributed significantly to the development of the field of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). Great progress has been achieved in modeling hadronic interactions, developing precise propagation codes, understanding the role of different backgrounds and magnetic fields in the propagation of ultrahigh energy protons and nuclei, predicting the flux of secondary neutrinos and photons, modeling astrophysical sources and their acceleration mechanisms, developing new techniques to test anisotropies in the sky distribution, proposing new physics phenomena that can be tested at ultrahigh energy, and sharpening the distinction between astrophysical interpretations of unexpected trends (such as the composition at the highest energies) and new physics at play in hadronic interactions at energies well beyond the reach of terrestrial laboratories. Better developed models when combined with recent data have framed current open questions. 1. Is the spectral feature at the highest energies the GZK cutoff or the effect of Emax? 2. Is the composition of primaries changing at the highest energies or are new interactions responsible for the change in behavior of extensive air showers? 3. At what energy and sensitivity will sources be observed? 4. At what energies cosmic rays transition from being Galactic to becoming extragalactic? And the most basic question remains, 5. what are the sources (and the acceleration mechanism) of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays? To answer these questions more observations are needed. Chief among the theorists’ wish list is the increase in statistics at the highest energies and the second wish is for full sky coverage. These efforts should lead to the localization of a source (or sources) in the sky which would revolutionize the field. Another avenue for major progress would be the detection of neutrino and photon secondaries, especially at ultrahigh energies. More immediate progress can be reached with a better establishment of an absolute energy scale which has a direct impact on many models. Another fertile area is the ongoing tests of hadronic interaction models with the LHC. More precise measurements of airshower properties may also enable the distinction between primary composition and hadronic physics effects on a wide energy range. Joint anisotropy and composition analysis between the two leading experiments (Auger and TA) would also provide a much needed consistency between the two hemispheres. This meeting marks the beginning of a great effort in this direction.

On the Onset Time of Several SPE/GLE Events: Indications from High-Energy Gamma-Ray and Neutron Measurements by CORONAS-F

We analyzed the high-energy gamma and neutron emissions observed by the SONG instrument onboard the CORONAS-F satellite during August 25, 2001, October 28, 2003, November 4, 2003, and January 20, 2005 solar flares. These flares produced neutrons and/or protons recorded near Earth. The SONG response was consistent with detection of the pion-decay gamma emission and neutrons in these events. We supposed that a time profile of the soft X-ray derivative was a good proxy of time behavior of the flare energy release. Then we showed that time intervals of the maximum both of energy release and pion-decay-emission coincided well. We determined the onset time of GLEs 65, 69 on the basis of neutron monitor data using the superposed epoch method. The time of high-energy proton onset on November 4, 2003 was found from the GOES data. The time delay between the high-energy gamma ray observation and the high-energy protons onset time was <5 minutes. This time lag corresponds to the least possible proton propagation time. So, we conclude that in these events both protons interacted in the solar atmosphere and the first protons which arrived to Earth, belonged to one and the same population of the accelerated particles.

Influence of cosmological models on the GZK horizon of ultrahigh energy protons

We investigate how the density of baryonic and cold dark matter, the density of dark energy and the value of the Hubble parameter at the present time influence the propagation of ultrahigh energy protons in the nearby Universe. We take into account energy losses in the cosmic microwave radiation, the only one relevant for protons above 1018 eV, and we explore the dependence of the Greisen–Zatsepin–Kuz’min (GZK) horizon on the cosmology. We investigate several cosmological scenarios, from matter dominated to energy dominated ones, and we consider the impact of uncertainties in the Hubble parameter in a Λ-cold dark matter (ΛCDM) Universe, estimated from recent observations, on the GZK horizon. The impact of the (unknown) extragalactic magnetic field on our study is discussed, as well as possible probes of the Hubble parameter attainable by current and future experiments.

A fast numerical method for calculating the 3D proton dose profile in a single-ring wobbling spreading system

Based on the determination of protons fluence at the phantom's surface, a 3D dose distribution is calculated inside a water phantom using a fast method. The dose contribution of secondary particles, originating from inelastic nuclear interactions, is also taken into account. This is achieved by assuming that 60% of the energy transferred to secondary particles is locally absorbed. Secondary radiation delivers approximately 16.8% of the total dose in the plateau region of the Bragg curve for monoenergetic protons of energy 190 MeV. The physical dose beyond the Bragg peak is obtained for a proton beam of 190 MeV using a Geant4 simulation. It is found that the dose beyond the Bragg peak is <0.02% of the maximum dose and is mainly delivered by protons produced via reactions of the secondary neutrons. The relative dose profile is also calculated by simulation of the proposed beam line in Geant4 code. The dose profile produced by our method agrees, within 2%, with the results predicted by the Fermi Eyges distribution function and the results of the Geant4 simulation. It is expected that the fast numerical approach proposed herein may be utilised in 3D deterministic treatment planning programs, to model proton propagation in order to analyse the effect of modifying the beam line.

Propagation of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays in an expanding Universe

A numerical code is described that simulates the propagation of protons and ultrahigh-energy nuclei in an expanding Universe, taking into account the interaction with the background electromagnetic radiation. Using this code, we calculate the intensity of extragalactic cosmic rays, sources of which are jets of galaxies with active nuclei.

A stochastic approach to galactic propagation

We present a newly developed numerical code solving general Fokker-Planck type transport equations by means of stochastic differential equations in four (space and momentum) dimensions and time. Besides propagation the code is capable of describing the full diffusion tensor as well as particle sources and sinks. The approach was to design the code very general and flexible, so that it can be applied to a large variety of physical problems. Adaption to graphics cards within the CUDA framework significantly improves the performance. Here, we apply our code to the propagation of cosmic ray protons in the Galaxy. Special account is devoted to the spiral arm structure and the consequence for turbulence and, thus, for the diffusion process, leading to different diffusion tensors within and outside of the spiral arms.

THE HIGH-ENERGY, ARCMINUTE-SCALE GALACTIC CENTER GAMMA-RAY SOURCE

Employing data collected during the first 25 months' observations by the Fermi-LAT, we describe and subsequently seek to model the very high energy (>300 MeV) emission from the central few parsecs of our Galaxy. We analyze the morphological, spectral and temporal characteristics of the central source, 1FGL J1745.6-2900. Remarkably, the data show a clear, statistically significant signal at energies above 10 GeV, where the Fermi-LAT has an excellent angular resolution comparable to the angular resolution of HESS at TeV energies, which makes meaningful the joint analysis of the Fermi and HESS data. Our analysis does not show statistically significant variability of 1FGL J1745.6-2900. Using the combination of Fermi data on 1FGL J1745.6-2900 and HESS data on the coincident, TeV source HESS J1745-290, we show that the spectrum of the central gamma-ray source is inflected with a relatively steep spectral region matching between the flatter spectrum found at both low and high energies. We seek to model the gamma-ray production in the inner 10 pc of the Galaxy and examine, in particular, cosmic ray (CR) proton propagation scenarios that reproduce the observed spectrum of the central source. We show that a model that instantiates a transition from diffusive propagation of the CR protons at low energy to almost rectilinear propagation at high energies (given a reasonable energy-dependence of the assumed diffusion coefficient) can well explain the spectral phenomenology. In general, however, we find considerable degeneracy between different parameter choices which will only be broken with the addition of morphological information that gamma-ray telescopes cannot deliver given current angular resolution limits.We argue that a future analysis done in combination with higher-resolution radio continuum data holds out the promise of breaking this degeneracy.

Testing Lorentz invariance with neutrinos from ultrahigh energy cosmic ray interactions

We have previously shown that a very small amount of Lorentz invariance violation (LIV), which suppresses photomeson interactions of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) with cosmic background radiation (CBR) photons, can produce a spectrum of cosmic rays that is consistent with that currently observed by the Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) and HiRes experiments. Here, we calculate the corresponding flux of high energy neutrinos generated by the propagation of UHECR protons through the CBR in the presence of LIV. We find that LIV produces a reduction in the flux of the highest energy neutrinos and a reduction in the energy of the peak of the neutrino energy flux spectrum, both depending on the strength of the LIV. Thus, observations of the UHE neutrino spectrum provide a clear test for the existence and amount of LIV at the highest energies. We further discuss the ability of current and future proposed detectors make such observations.

Superdiffusive and ballistic propagation of protons in solar energetic particle events

AbstractIn this work we show that protons can exhibit both superdiffusive and ballistic propagation, at variance with standard diffusion. We carry out an analysis of impulsive solar energetic particle (SEP) events, for which the observed time profile of energetic particle fluxes represent the propagator of the corresponding transport equation. We show that in the case of superdiffusive or ballistic transport the propagator in the time asymptotic regime has a power law form, and that a fit of the observed time profiles allows to determine the transport regime. Using data obtained from ACE and SoHO spacecraft, two proton and electron events, which exhibit both superdiffusive and ballistic transport, will be shown. The finding of these anomalous regimes implies that no finite mean free path can be defined.

Proton Radiography and Fast Electron Propogation Through Cyliderically Compressed Targets

The paper describes the key points contained in the short term HiPER (High Power laser Energy Research) experimental road map, as well as the results of two phases of the experiment performed in "HiPER dedicated time slots. Experimental and theoretical results of relativistic electron transport in cylindrically compressed matter are presented. This experiment was achieved at the VULCAN laser facility (UK) by using four long pulse beams (similar to 4 x 50 J, 1 us, at 0.53 mu m) to compress a hollow plastic cylinder filled with plastic foam of three different densities (0.1, 0.3, and 1 g cm(-3)). In the first phase of the experiment, protons accelerated by a picosecond laser pulse were used to radiograph a cylinder filled with 0.1 g/cc foam. Point projection proton backlighting was used to measure the degree of compression as well as the stagnation time. Results were compared to those from hard X-ray radiography. Finally, Monte Carlo simulations of proton propagation in cold and compressed targets allowed a detailed, comparison with 2D numerical hydro simulations. 2D simulations predict a density of 2-5 g cm(-3) and a plasma temperature up to 100 eV at maximum compression. In the second phase of the experiment, a short pulse (10 ps, 160 J) beam generated fast electrons that propagated through the compressed matter by irradiating a nickel foil at an intensity of 5 x 10(18) Wcm(-2). X-ray spectrometer and imagers were implemented in order to estimate the compressed plasma conditions and to infer the hot electron characteristics. Results are discussed and compared with simulations.

Effect of magnetospheric substorms on asymptotic directions of arrival of cosmic ray relativistic protons

The effect of magnetospheric storm on the propagation of relativistic protons has been analyzed. The method of trajectory calculations has been used to estimate changes in the reception cones for 21 stations, caused by the storm of July 19–20, 2000, accompanied by considerable saw-tooth substorm disturbances. It has been indicated that the degree of the substorm effect on the propagation of cosmic ray (CR) relativistic protons, registered with ground detectors, differs for different stations and depends on a distance of the particle trajectory from the localization of a substorm disturbance. The maximal effect for the considered substorm was found at Inuvik and McMurdo stations. Changes in the reception cone, caused by the substorm at these stations, were comparable or even larger than changes caused by the storm. Based on the calculations, the conclusion has been drawn that a disturbance (substorm) localized in space results in the appearance of relatively local zones on the Earth’s surface where characteristics of the asymptotic arrival of relativistic particles are changed.

Energy Compensation Mechanism for Charge-Separated Protonation States in Aspartate−Histidine Amino Acid Residue Pairs

The initial stage of proton propagation in the D-path channel of bovine cytochrome c oxidase, consisting of the approach of an H(+) to the entrance of this specific pathway, is inspected via first-principles calculations. Our model, extracted from the X-ray crystallographic structure, includes the amino acid residue pair aspartate (Asp91) and histidine (His503) as protonatable sites. Our calculations show that an additional proton, corresponding to the H(+) uptake by the enzyme from the inner bulk water, is transferred to either Asp91 or His503, leading to the formation of a neutral or a charge-separated protonation state. The relative stability between the two states amounts to a total energy difference of about 5 kcal/mol; this indicates that both Asp91 and His503 are involved in the proton supply to the D-path, playing the role of proton acceptors. The hydrogen-bond environment around Asp91 and His503 has an important influence on both the energetics and the electronic structure of the system; for instance, it compensates the Coulomb-energy cost in the charge-separated protonation state. An energy partitioning analysis shows that the compensatory effect is mainly due to local electrostatic interactions among the charged Asp91 and His503 side chains and the surrounding polar residues. The energy compensation mechanism we found in this work balances the energetics of Asp-His pairs, hence permitting an efficient and selective regulation of the protonatable amino acid residues, where several protonation states are accessible within energy differences of the order of a few H-bonds.

INTERGALACTIC MAGNETIC FIELD AND ARRIVAL DIRECTION OF ULTRA-HIGH-ENERGY PROTONS

We studied how the intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF) affects the propagation of super-GZK protons that originate from extragalactic sources within the local GZK sphere. Toward this end, we set up hypothetical sources of ultra-high-energy cosmic-rays (UHECRs), virtual observers, and the magnetized cosmic web in a model universe constructed from cosmological structure formation simulations. We then arranged a set of reference objects mimicking active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the local universe, with which correlations of simulated UHECR events are analyzed. With our model IGMF, the deflection angle between the arrival direction of super-GZK protons and the sky position of their actual sources is quite large with the mean value of $<\theta > \sim 15^{\circ}$ and the median value of $\tilde \theta \sim 7 - 10^{\circ}$. On the other hand, the separation angle between the arrival direction and the sky position of nearest reference objects is substantially smaller with $<S > \sim 3.5 - 4^{\circ}$, which is similar to the mean angular distance in the sky to nearest neighbors among the reference objects. This is a direct consequence of our model that the sources, observers, reference objects, and the IGMF all trace the matter distribution of the universe. The result implies that extragalactic objects lying closest to the arrival direction of UHECRs are not necessary their actual sources. With our model for the distribution of reference objects, the fraction of super-GZK proton events, whose closest AGNs are true sources, is less than 1/3. We discussed implications of our findings for correlation studies of real UHECR events.

Water and ethanol desorption in the flexible metal organic frameworks, MIL-53 (Cr, Fe), investigated by complex impedance spectrocopy and density functional theory calculations

The breathing behaviour of MIL-53(Cr) and MIL-53(Fe) upon water and ethanol desorption has been investigated by combining complementary experimental techniques including ThermoGravimetry Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Complex Impedance Spectroscopy (CIS). It was shown that two stages of solvent departure are involved in the desorption process, as revealed by (i) a change of the weight loss gradient in the TGA curve, (ii) the existence of a second endothermic peak in the DSC signal and (iii) a sudden drop and/or profile change of the ac conductivity in CIS. All these features are observed around a typical temperature T(c), for which the framework contractions, caused by the solvent desorption, occur. Moreover, it is shown that these modifications are more pronounced when the magnitude of the breathing is higher, as illustrated by the comparison of the water/MIL-53(Cr), ethanol/MIL-53(Cr) and water/MIL-53(Fe) systems. CIS data were further analyzed in the light of DFT calculations which provided the preferential arrangements of the molecules within the pores and the resulting host/guest interactions. It could then be proposed that (i) the polarization conductivity results from the local re-orientation of the μ(2)-OH dipoles bonded to the metal atom from the hybrid solid, i.e. Fe or Cr, and (ii) that dc conductivity, which can be ascribed to a proton propagation via a Grotthus mechanism, is favoured when the solvent molecules form strong hydrogen bonds between each other.

High-energy emission from the starburst galaxy NGC 253

Measurement sensitivity in the energetic gamma-ray region has improved considerably, and is about to increase further in the near future, motivating a detailed calculation of high-energy (>100 MeV) and very-high-energy (VHE: >100 GeV) gamma-ray emission from the nearby starburst galaxy NGC253. Adopting the convection-diffusion model for energetic electron and proton propagation, and accounting for all the relevant hadronic and leptonic processes, we determine the steady-state energy distributions of these particles by a detailed numerical treatment. The electron distribution is directly normalized by the measured synchrotron radio emission from the central starburst region; a commonly expected theoretical relation is then used to normalize the proton spectrum in this region. Doing so fully specifies the electron spectrum throughout the galactic disk, and with an assumed spatial profile of the magnetic field, the predicted radio emission from the full disk matches well the observed spectrum, confirming the validity of our treatment. The resulting radiative yields of both particles are calculated; the integrated HE and VHE fluxes from the entire disk are predicted to be f(>100 MeV)~2x10^-8 cm^-2 s^-1 and f(>100 GeV)~4x10^-12 cm^-2 s^-1, respectively. We discuss the feasibility of measuring emission at these levels with the space-borne Fermi and the ground-based Cherenkov telescopes.

Particle Propagation in the Galactic Center and Spatial Distribution of Non-Thermal X-Rays

Abstract We showed that if the non-thermal emission from the galactic center in the range 14–40 keV is due to inverse bremsstrahlung emission of subrelativistic protons, their interactions with hot and cold fractions of the interstellar medium are equally important. Our estimation shows that about 30% of the total non-thermal flux from the GC in the range 14–40 keV is generated in regions of cold gas while the rest is produced by proton interaction with hot plasma. From the spatial distribution of 6.7 keV iron line we concluded the spatial distribution of hot plasma is strongly non-uniform that should be taken into account in analysis of proton propagation in the GC. From the Suzaku data we got independent estimates for the diffusion coefficient of subrelativistic protons in the GC, which was in the range 10$^{26}$–10$^{27} $cm$^{2} $s$^{-1}$.

Injected spectrum for TeV γ-ray emission from the galactic center

The detection of very high energy γ-ray emission from the Galactic center has been reported by four independent groups. One of these γ-ray sources, the 10 TeV γ-ray radiation reported by HESS, has been suggested as having a hadronic origin when relativistic protons are injected into and interact with the dense ambient gas. Assuming that such relativistic protons required by the hadronic model come from the tidal disruption of a star by the massive black hole of Sgr A*, we explore the spectrum of the relativistic protons. In the calculations, we investigate cases where different types of stars are tidally disrupted by the black hole of Sgr A*, and we consider that different diffusion mechanisms are used for the propagation of protons. The initial energy distribution of the injected spectrum of protons is assumed to follow a power-law with an exponential cut-off, and we derive the different indices of the injected spectra for the tidal disruption of different types of stars. For the best fit to the spectrum of photons detected by HESS, the spectral index of the injected relativistic protons is about 2.05 when a red giant is tidally disrupted by the black hole of Sgr A* and the diffusion mechanism is the Effective Confinement of Protons.

Spectral shape and photon fraction as signatures of the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cutoff

With the prospect of measuring the fraction of arriving secondary photons, produced through photo-pion energy-loss interactions of ultra-high-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) protons with the microwave background during propagation, we investigate how information about the local UHECR source distribution can be inferred from the primary (proton) to secondary (photon) ratio. As an aid to achieve this, we develop an analytic description for both particle populations as a function of propagation time. Through a consideration of the shape of the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cutoff and the corresponding photon fraction curve, we investigate the different results expected for both different maximum proton energies injected by the sources, as well as a change in the local source distribution following a perturbative deformation away from a homogeneous description. At the end of the paper, consideration is made as to how these results are modified through extragalactic magnetic field effects on the proton's propagation. The paper aims to demonstrate how the shape of the cosmic ray flux in the cutoff region, along with the photon fraction, are useful indicators of the cutoff origin as well as the local UHECR source distribution.

The Solar Energetic Particle Event of 14 December 2006

The solar energetic particle event on 14 December 2006 was observed by several near-Earth spacecraft including the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), STEREO A and B, SOHO and Wind. An interesting feature of this event is a series of unusual fluctuations in the particle intensity that occurred during the first few hours. These fluctuations were observed inside a magnetic cloud that originated in a solar event on 13 December and show both similarities and variations at the different spacecraft. Interestingly, the most striking difference is between observations at the two closely-separated STEREO spacecraft. In particular, large fluctuations in the proton intensity were seen by the High Energy Telescope (HET) on STEREO A, and to a lesser extent at Wind and ACE, but not by the STEREO B HET. We conclude that the differences in intensity-time profiles were caused by anisotropies in the particle distribution and the different viewing directions of the individual particle telescopes. The intensity/anisotropy variations suggest that flux tubes with different particle propagation conditions existed within this magnetic cloud despite the absence of local magnetic field signatures associated with these regions. The intensity fluctuations are similar to those occasionally seen in impulsive particle events. There were also spacecraft-to-spacecraft differences during the onset of the particle event. An initial rapid onset of energetic (> 40 MeV) protons was observed by the STEREO A and B spacecraft outside the magnetic cloud, but not by spacecraft such as SOHO that were already inside the magnetic cloud at this time. The latter spacecraft observed a slower, lower intensity increase. Evidently, energetic proton propagation from the solar event to the vicinity of Earth was inhibited within the magnetic cloud compared to outside.

THE PROBLEM OF SUPERLUMINAL DIFFUSION OF RELATIVISTIC PARTICLES AND ITS PHENOMENOLOGICAL SOLUTION

We discuss the superluminal problem in the diffusion of ultra high energy protons with energy losses taken into account. The phenomenological solution of this problem is found with help of the generalized J\"uttner propagator, originally proposed for relativization of the Maxwellian gas distribution. It is demonstrated that the generalized J\"uttner propagator gives the correct expressions in the limits of diffusive and rectilinear propagation of the charged particles in the magnetic fields, together with the intermediate regime, in all cases without superluminal velocities. This solution, very general for the diffusion, is considered for two particular cases: diffusion inside the stationary objects, like e.g. galaxies, clusters of galaxies etc, and for expanding universe. The comparison with the previously obtained solutions for propagation of UHE protons in magnetic fields is performed.