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Title: Evidence for GeV cosmic rays from white dwarfs in the local cosmic ray spectra and in the gamma-ray emissivity of the inner Galaxy

Journal Article · · Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/pasj/psy010· OSTI ID:1458419
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. The Univ. of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Stanford Univ., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
  2. Kyoto Univ., Kyoto (Japan)
  3. RIKEN, Saitama (Japan)
  4. Yamagata Univ., Yamagata (Japan)
  5. The Univ. of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan)

Here, recent observations found that electrons are accelerated to ~10 GeV and emit synchrotron hard X-rays in two magnetic white dwarfs (WDs), also known as cataclysmic variables (CVs). In nova outbursts of WDs, multi-GeV gamma-rays were detected, implying that protons are accelerated to 100 GeV or higher. In recent optical surveys, the WD density is found to be higher near the Sun than in the Galactic disk by a factor ~2.5. The cosmic rays (CRs) produced by local CVs and novae will accumulate in the local bubble for 106–107 yr. On these findings, we search for CRs from historic CVs and novae in the observed CR spectra. We model the CR spectra at the heliopause as sums of Galactic and local components based on observational data as much as possible. The initial Galactic CR electron and proton spectra are deduced from the gamma-ray emissivity, the local electron spectrum from the hard X-ray spectra at the CVs, and the local proton spectrum from gamma-ray spectra at novae. These spectral shapes are then expressed in a simple set of polynomial functions of CR energy and regressively fitted until the high-energy (>100 GeV) CR spectra near Earth and the Voyager-1 spectra at the heliopause are reproduced. We then extend the modeling to nuclear CR spectra and find that one spectral shape fits all local nuclear CRs, and that the apparent hardening of the nuclear CR spectra is caused by the roll-down of local nuclear spectra around 100–200 GeV. All local CR spectra populate a limited energy band below 100–200 GeV and enhance gamma-ray emissivity below ~10 GeV. Such an enhancement is observed in the inner Galaxy, suggesting the CR fluxes from CVs and novae are substantially higher there.

Research Organization:
SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-76SF00515; 15K05098
OSTI ID:
1458419
Journal Information:
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, Vol. 70, Issue 2; ISSN 0004-6264
Publisher:
Astronomical Society of JapanCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 1 work
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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