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arXiv · 0808.0161

Gamma Rays from Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays in Cygnus A

Armen Atoyan·Charles D. Dermer
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Abstract

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) accelerated in the jets of active galactic nuclei can accumulate in high magnetic field, ~100 kpc-scale regions surrounding powerful radio galaxies. Photohadronic processes involving UHECRs and photons of the extragalactic background light make ultra-relativistic electrons and positrons that initiate electromagnetic cascades, leading to the production of a gamma-ray synchrotron halo. We calculate the halo emission in the case of Cygnus A and show that it should be detectable with the Fermi Gamma ray Space Telescope and possibly detectable with ground-based gamma-ray telescopes if radio galaxies are the sources of UHECRs.

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Armen Atoyan, Charles D. Dermer. 2008-09-23. Gamma Rays from Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays in Cygnus A. https://doi.org/10.1086/593202

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