Do Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays Come from Active Galactic Nuclei and Fermi $\gamma$-ray Sources?

TL;DR

This study investigates correlations between ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and nearby active galactic nuclei and Fermi sources, finding a significant correlation with Auger data and potential candidate sources within 100 Mpc.

Contribution

The paper provides the first detailed analysis of UHECR correlations with AGNs and Fermi sources considering Galactic magnetic field deflections, highlighting significant associations with Auger data.

Findings

Significant correlation between Auger UHECRs and nearby AGNs (~4σ)

Less than 4° average deflection of UHECRs by Galactic magnetic fields

Potential UHECR sources within 100 Mpc near specific Fermi sources

Abstract

We study possible correlations between ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), observed by Auger, AGASA and Yakutsk, and nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and $Fermi$ sources. We consider the deflection effects by a Galactic magnetic field (GMF) model constrained by the most updated measurements. We found that the average deflection angles of UHECRs by the Galactic magnetic fields are less than $4^\circ$. A correlation between the Auger cosmic-ray events and nearby AGNs with a significance level of $\sim 4\sigma$ was found for the Auger UHECR data sets with or without deflection correction. No correlation was found between the AGASA/Yakutsk events with nearby AGNs. Marginal correlations between the Auger events and the $Fermi$ sources, and between AGASA events and $Fermi$ AGNs were found when the deflections calculated by the GMF model were considered. However, no correlation was found between the Yakutsk data and $Fermi$ sources. Some $Fermi$ sources are close to the arrival directions of UHECR events detected by Auger, AGASA, and Yakutsk, most of which are probably chance coincidence rather than objects producing UHECRs in the nearby Universe. Four $Fermi$ sources, NGC 4945, ESO 323-G77, NGC 6951, and Cen A, within 100~Mpc have UHECR events within $3.1^{\circ}$ from their positions, which could potentially be cosmic ray accelerators. However, the association can only be confirmed if more UHECRs are preferably detected in these directions.