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COSMOLOGICAL GAMMA RAY BURSTS AND THE HIGHEST ENERGY COSMIC RAYS

Eli Waxman
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Abstract

We discuss a scenario in which the highest energy cosmic rays (CR's) and cosmological $γ$-ray bursts (GRB's) have a common origin. This scenario is consistent with the observed CR flux above $10^{20}\text{eV}$, provided that each burst produces similar energies in $γ$-rays and in CR's above $10^{20}\text{eV}$. Protons may be accelerated by Fermi's mechanism to energies $\sim10^{20}\text{eV}$ in a dissipative, ultra-relativistic wind, with luminosity and Lorentz factor high enough to produce a GRB. For a homogeneous GRB distribution, this scenario predicts an isotropic, time-independent CR flux.

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Eli Waxman. 1995-05-18. COSMOLOGICAL GAMMA RAY BURSTS AND THE HIGHEST ENERGY COSMIC RAYS. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.75.386

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