Giant AGN Flares and Cosmic Ray Bursts
Abstract
We predict a new class of very intense, short-duration AGN flares capable of accelerating the highest energy cosmic rays, resulting from the tidal disruption of a star or from a disk instability. The rate and power of these flares readily explains the observed flux and density statistics of UHECRs. The photon bursts produced by the predicted AGN flares are discussed; they may soon be detectable. Observations are shown to exclude that continuous jets of powerful Active Galactic Nuclei are the sole source of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays; the stringent requirements for Gamma Ray Bursts to be the source are delineated.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0802.1074,
title = {Giant AGN Flares and Cosmic Ray Bursts},
author = {Glennys R. Farrar and Andrei Gruzinov},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0802.1074},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
Obtained a more constraining prediction for photon counterparts of the predicted AGN flares, elaborated the discussion of AGN luminosity associated with UHECR acceleration, and corrected minor typos