PIRSA:05110001

Acceleration of highest energy cosmic rays

Lyutikov, M. (2005). Acceleration of highest energy cosmic rays. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/05110001

Lyutikov, Maxim. Acceleration of highest energy cosmic rays. Perimeter Institute, Nov. 01, 2005, https://pirsa.org/05110001 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:05110001,
            doi = {10.48660/05110001},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/05110001},
            author = {Lyutikov, Maxim},
            keywords = {Cosmology},
            language = {en},
            title = {Acceleration of highest energy cosmic rays},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2005},
            month = {nov},
            note = {PIRSA:05110001 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }

Maxim Lyutikov Purdue University

DOI 10.48660/05110001
Collection
Talk Type Scientific Series
Subject

Abstract

Highest energy cosmic rays reach {\it macroscopic} energies $> 10^{20}$ eV ($\sim 10$ joules; corresponding linear momentum in one proton is similar to a slapshot hockey puck's). Such protons can either be accelerated by nearby astrophysical sources or be by-products of decay of unknown superheavy fundamental particles. After reviewing phenomenology of cosmic rays, I will discuss a novel {\it non-stochastic} acceleration mechanism in jets of powerful active galactic nuclei. The mystery of ultra high energy cosmic rays is likely soon to be resolved by Pierre Auger observatory.