Conditions for Acceleration of Super-High Energy Cosmic Rays in Active Galactic Nuclei

Sorrell, Wilfred H.

doi:10.1007/978-94-009-4025-3_13

Wilfred H. Sorrell⁵

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 220))

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Abstract

Super-high energy (~ 10²⁰eV) cosmic rays could be accelerated in current-carrying beams associated with black-hole accretion discs in galactic nuclei. The current system might resemble an electrical circuit with a voltage source (black hole and accretion disc) coupled to a load (cosmic-ray beam) and a low impedance element (ambient conducting medium). Beam particles can be accelerated to 10²⁰ provided that the beam channel medium behaves like an inductive circuit with high impedance. But even if these conditions are satisfied, a major difficulty the model faces is the large energy loss caused by photomeson reactions.

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Astronomy Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
Wilfred H. Sorrell

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Wilfred H. Sorrell
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Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
Maurice M. Shapiro (Director of the School, Co-Director of the Course) (Director of the School, Co-Director of the Course)
Laboratory for Cosmic-Ray Physics (emeritus), Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
Maurice M. Shapiro (Director of the School, Co-Director of the Course) (Director of the School, Co-Director of the Course)
205 Yoakum Parkway, #1720, Alexandria, VA, 22304, USA
Maurice M. Shapiro (Director of the School, Co-Director of the Course) (Director of the School, Co-Director of the Course)
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70803-4001, USA
John P. Wefel (Co-Director of the Course) (Co-Director of the Course)

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Sorrell, W.H. (1988). Conditions for Acceleration of Super-High Energy Cosmic Rays in Active Galactic Nuclei. In: Shapiro, M.M., Wefel, J.P. (eds) Genesis and Propagation of Cosmic Rays. NATO ASI Series, vol 220. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4025-3_13

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4025-3_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8286-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4025-3
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