Abstract
Electrons are more susceptible to energy losses in magnetic fields and photon fields than protons. Hence, photons at various wavelengths, including gamma rays, bring more readily information on high-energy electrons than on protons. Neutrinos provide a unique tracer for protons. Furthermore, at high energies the neutrino flux can considerably exceed the gamma-ray flux, as gamma rays above ~ 1 MeV are degraded by γ-γ interactions in compact high-intensity sources. Active galactic nuclei (AGN) with outputs > 1045 ergs s−1 and dimensions ~ 1014 cm would constitute such sources. If the AGN are powered by ultra-massive black holes, then these numerical conditions are satisfied, and at high energies the flux J ν > J γ. Berezinsky and Ginzburg have pointed out that the photon intensity around spinars is not sufficient to cause gamma-ray degradation. These authors have demonstrated that the measurement of neutrino flux, combined with the measurement (or upper limit) of gamma-ray flux would show whether the active galactic nuclei are powered by massive black holes or spinars. We estimate that gamma rays would be degraded at spinars, too, at energies > 1 GeV.
Proceedings of the XVIII General Assembly of the IAU: Galactic Astrophysics and Gamma-Ray Astronomy, held at Patras, Greece, 19 August 1982.
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© 1983 D. Reidel Publishing Co., Dordrecht and Boston
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Shapiro, M.M., Silberberg, R. (1983). Gamma Rays and Neutrinos as Complementary Probes in Astrophysics. In: Morfill, G.E., Buccheri, R. (eds) Galactic Astrophysics and Gamma-Ray Astronomy. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7208-7_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7208-7_5
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