On the Origin of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays II
We show that accretion disks around Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) could account for the enormous power in observed ultra high energy cosmic rays {approx}10{sup 20} eV (UHEs). In our model, cosmic rays are produced by quasi-steady acceleration of ions in magnetic structures previously proposed to explain jets around Active Galactic Nuclei with supermassive black holes. Steady acceleration requires that an AGN accretion disk act as a dynamo, which we show to follow from a modified Standard Model in which the magnetic torque of the dynamo replaces viscosity as the dominant mechanism accounting for angular momentum conservation during accretion. A black hole of mass M{sub BH} produces a steady dynamo voltage V {proportional_to} {radical}M{sub BH} giving V {approx} 10{sup 20} volts for M{sub BH} {approx} 10{sup 8} solar masses. The voltage V reappears as an inductive electric field at the advancing nose of a dynamo-driven jet, where plasma instability inherent in collisionless runaway acceleration allows ions to be steadily accelerated to energies {approx} V, finally ejected as cosmic rays. Transient events can produce much higher energies. The predicted disk radiation is similar to the Standard Model. Unique predictions concern the remarkable collimation of jets and emissions from the jet/radiolobe structure. Given MBH and the accretion rate, the model makes 7 predictions roughly consistent with data: (1) the jet length; (2) the jet radius; (3) the steady-state cosmic ray energy spectrum; (4) the maximum energy in this spectrum; (5) the UHE cosmic ray intensity on Earth; (6) electron synchrotron wavelengths; and (7) the power in synchrotron radiation. These qualitative successes motivate new computer simulations, experiments and data analysis to provide a quantitative verification of the model.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 1021558
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-TR-474338; TRN: US1104194
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ACCELERATION
ACCRETION DISKS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
BLACK HOLES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
EEV RANGE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRONS
IONS
LENGTH
MASS
GALAXY NUCLEI
ORIGIN
PLASMA INSTABILITY
COSMIC RADIATION
SIMULATION
STANDARD MODEL
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
TORQUE
TRANSIENTS
VERIFICATION
VISCOSITY
WAVELENGTHS