GZK Horizons and the Recent Pierre Auger Result on the Anisotropy of Highest-energy Cosmic Ray Sources

TL;DR

This paper investigates how local over-densities of ultrahigh energy cosmic ray sources influence GZK horizons, motivated by Pierre Auger's findings on cosmic ray anisotropy, and proposes testable local source over-density scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces models of local UHECR source over-density effects on GZK horizons, incorporating energy calibration and proposing testable scenarios for future cosmic ray astronomy.

Findings

Local over-density affects GZK horizon estimates

Energy calibration impacts UHECR spectrum analysis

Proposes testable local source over-density scenarios

Abstract

Motivated by recent Pierre Auger result on the correlation of the highest-energy cosmic rays with the nearby active galactic nuclei, we explore possible ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHECR) source distributions and their effects on GZK horizons. Effects on GZK horizons by local over-density of UHECR sources are examined carefully with constraints on the degree of local over-density inferred from the measured UHECR spectrum. We include the energy calibration effect on the Pierre Auger data in our studies. We propose possible local over-densities of UHECR sources which are testable in the future cosmic ray astronomy.