The production of very high energy photons and neutrinos from cosmic proton sources
Abstract
The emission of neutrinos and photons with energies of the order of 10 to the 12th eV from the matter surrounding a source of very high energy cosmic ray protons is computed. The optimum conditions for neutrino emission are shown to be: matter density of not greater than 10 to the -8th g/cu cm and integrated path length z not less than 100 g/sq cm, with significant emission for z not less than 20 g/sq cm. Optimum photon production occurs for z = 50 g/sq cm. Under these conditions 1 TeV photon emission can be as much as 2.6 percent and neutrino emission as much as 6.7 percent of the proton intensity at 1 TeV, for an E exp-2 proton spectrum. These results imply that compact objects are the best candidate sources. The fluxes of photons and neutrinos from possible galactic and extragalactic sources are estimated and shown to be adequate for current or proposed detectors, if the above optimum conditions are present.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- September 1984
- DOI:
- 10.1086/162463
- Bibcode:
- 1984ApJ...284..810S
- Keywords:
-
- Cosmic Rays;
- Extraterrestrial Radiation;
- Galactic Radiation;
- Neutrinos;
- Particle Production;
- Photons;
- Compton Effect;
- Gamma Ray Spectra;
- Pulsars;
- Supernovae;
- X Rays;
- Space Radiation