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arXiv · 2608.27078

Source models of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays

Bing Theodore Zhang
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Abstract

We investigate potential sources of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) and their acceleration mechanisms, focusing on astrophysical phenomena associated with massive stellar deaths and supermassive black holes. These phenomena include gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), engine-driven supernovae/hypernovae, magnetars, newly born pulsars, binary neutron star mergers (BNS), tidal disruption events (TDEs), and active galactic nuclei (AGN). While high-luminosity GRBs (HL GRBs) are constrained as UHECR sources by high-energy neutrino observations, low-luminosity GRBs (LL GRBs) and engine-driven supernovae remain promising candidates, with intermediate-mass nuclei as the dominant components. Compact binary mergers and $r$-process nucleosynthesis in neutron-rich environments may also contribute to ultraheavy UHECRs. The composition of UHECRs from TDEs depends on the properties of the disrupted stars. AGN, particularly radio galaxies, remain promising sources, with acceleration occurring in their large-scale jets and lobes. Shear acceleration mechanisms have been proposed as a viable alternative for accelerating UHECRs, involving the re-acceleration of low-energy cosmic rays and being compatible with the observed spectrum and composition. Future multi-messenger observations, especially from upcoming observatories, are expected to provide critical data to refine our understanding of UHECR origins, test existing models, and explore new acceleration mechanisms.

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Bing Theodore Zhang. 2026-08-27. Source models of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays. https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27078

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