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Title: Search for photons with energies above 1018 eV using the hybrid detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Journal Article · · Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
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A search for ultra-high energy photons with energies above 1 EeV is performed using nine years of data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory in hybrid operation mode. An unprecedented separation power between photon and hadron primaries is achieved by combining measurements of the longitudinal air-shower development with the particle content at ground measured by the fluorescence and surface detectors, respectively. Only three photon candidates at energies 1 - 2 EeV are found, which is compatible with the expected hadron-induced background. Upper limits on the integral flux of ultra-high energy photons of 0.027, 0.009, 0.008, 0.008 and 0.007 km$$^{-2}$$ sr$$^{-1}$$ yr$$^{-1}$$ are derived at 95% C.L. for energy thresholds of 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 EeV. These limits bound the fractions of photons in the all-particle integral flux below 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.33%, 0.85% and 2.7%. For the first time the photon fraction at EeV energies is constrained at the sub-percent level. The improved limits are below the flux of diffuse photons predicted by some astrophysical scenarios for cosmogenic photon production. Here, the new results rule-out the early top-down models $$-$$ in which ultra-high energy cosmic rays are produced by, e.g., the decay of super-massive particles $$-$$ and challenge the most recent super-heavy dark matter models.

Research Organization:
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
Contributing Organization:
The Pierre Auger Collaboration
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-07CH11359
OSTI ID:
1342213
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-PUB-16-619-PPD-TD; FERMILAB-PUB-16-657; arXiv:1612.01517; 1501659
Journal Information:
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Vol. 2017, Issue 04; ISSN 1475-7516
Publisher:
Institute of Physics (IOP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 52 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (14)

The Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection (GRAND): Science and design journal August 2019
Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays from nearby starburst galaxies journal April 2018
Search for point sources of ultra-high-energy photons with the Telescope Array surface detector journal February 2020
Heavy decaying dark matter and IceCube high energy neutrinos journal October 2018
Gravitational slingshots around black holes in a binary journal January 2020
Multi-Messenger Physics With the Pierre Auger Observatory text January 2019
Open Questions in Cosmic-Ray Research at Ultrahigh Energies journal June 2019
Particle Acceleration by Cosmic Ray Viscosity in Radio-jet Shear Flows journal August 2019
Multi-Messenger Physics With the Pierre Auger Observatory journal April 2019
Open Questions in Cosmic-Ray Research at Ultrahigh Energies text January 2019
Open Questions in Cosmic-Ray Research at Ultrahigh Energies text January 2019
The Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection (GRAND): Science and Design text January 2018
Search for point sources of ultra-high energy photons with the Telescope Array surface detector text January 2019
Gravitational slingshots around black holes in a binary text January 2020

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Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ultra high energy cosmic rays
cosmic ray experiments