High-Energy Cosmic Rays and Neutrinos from Gamma-Ray Bursts

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive model linking gamma-ray bursts to the origin of high-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos, proposing observational tests and discussing potential astrophysical consequences.

Contribution

It introduces a complete model for cosmic ray and neutrino production from GRBs and discusses its implications and observational signatures.

Findings

Detection of high-energy neutrinos can test the model.

Anomalous gamma-ray components support cosmic-ray acceleration in GRBs.

Neutron decay halos around galaxies are predicted by the model.

Abstract

A complete model for the origin of high-energy >~10^{14} eV) cosmic rays from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and implications of this hypothesis are described. Detection of high-energy neutrinos from GRBs provide an unambiguous test of the model. Evidence for cosmic-ray acceleration in GRBs is suggested by the detection of anomalous gamma-ray components such as that observed from GRB 941017. Neutron beta-decay halos around star-forming galaxies such as the Milky Way are formed as a consequence of this model. Cosmic rays from GRBs in the Galaxy are unlikely to account for the ~10^{18} eV cosmic-ray excess reported by the Sydney University Giant Air Shower Recorder (SUGAR), but could contribute to past extinction events.