Magnetic Fields of Nearby Active Galactic Nuclei and Correlation of the Highest-Energy Cosmic Rays with their Positions

TL;DR

This paper explores how magnetic fields in active galactic nuclei (AGN) can accelerate cosmic rays, explaining observed correlations between cosmic ray directions and AGN positions, and identifies Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars as effective accelerators.

Contribution

It introduces a model linking AGN magnetic fields to cosmic ray acceleration, providing estimates consistent with observed cosmic ray-AGN correlations.

Findings

Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars are effective cosmic accelerators.

Estimated magnetic fields support acceleration of ultra high energy cosmic rays.

Attenuation effects of cosmic rays in ambient radiation fields are quantified.

Abstract

The correlation between the pointing direction of ultra high energy cosmic rays and AGN observed by the Pierre Auger Collaboration is explained in the framework of acceleration process in AGN. This acceleration process is produced by a rotating accretion disk around a black hole that is frozen-in magnetic field. In a result the accretion disk is acting as a induction accelerator of cosmic rays. We estimate the resulting magnetic field in the framework of the magnetic coupling process. The results of our calculations allow to make the conclusion that the Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars appear the effective cosmic accelerators. We estimate also the attenuation of highest-energy cosmic rays in a result of their interaction with ambient radiation field.