English

Photon-axion mixing and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays from BL Lac type objects -- Shining light through the Universe

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena 2020-04-20 v3 High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

Photons may convert into axion like particles and back in the magnetic field of various astrophysical objects, including active galaxies, clusters of galaxies, intergalactic space and the Milky Way. This is a potential explanation for the candidate neutral ultra-high-energy (E>10^18 eV) particles from distant BL Lac type objects which have been observed by the High Resolution Fly's Eye experiment. Axions of the same mass and coupling may explain also TeV photons detected from distant blazars.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0901.4085,
  title  = {Photon-axion mixing and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays from BL Lac type objects -- Shining light through the Universe},
  author = {Malcolm Fairbairn and Timur Rashba and Sergey Troitsky},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0901.4085},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

Revtex 10 pages, 6 figures. V.2: QED dispersion effects taken into account; principal results unchanged. V3: misprints and sqrt(4*pi) factors in Gauss to eV conversion corrected; conclusions unchanged