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arXiv · 1208.2056

Muon Acceleration in Cosmic-ray Sources

Spencer R. Klein·Rune Mikkelsen·Julia K. Becker Tjus
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Abstract

Many models of ultra-high energy cosmic-ray production involve acceleration in linear accelerators located in Gamma-Ray Bursts magnetars, or other sources. These source models require very high accelerating gradients, $10^{13}$ keV/cm, with the minimum gradient set by the length of the source. At gradients above 1.6 keV/cm, muons produced by hadronic interactions undergo significant acceleration before they decay. This acceleration hardens the neutrino energy spectrum and greatly increases the high-energy neutrino flux. We rule out many models of linear acceleration, setting strong constraints on plasma wakefield accelerators and on models for sources like Gamma Ray Bursts and magnetars.

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Spencer R. Klein, Rune Mikkelsen, Julia K. Becker Tjus. 2012-08-09. Muon Acceleration in Cosmic-ray Sources. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x%2F779%2F2%2F106

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