We reconsider the possibility that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the sources of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) within the internal shock model, assuming a pure proton composition of the ...UHECRs. For the first time, we combine the information from gamma-rays, cosmic rays, prompt neutrinos, and cosmogenic neutrinos quantitatively in a joint cosmic ray production and propagation model, and we show that the information on the cosmic energy budget can be obtained as a consequence. In addition to the neutron model, we consider alternative scenarios for the cosmic ray escape from the GRBs, i.e., that cosmic rays can leak from the sources. We find that the dip model, which describes the ankle in UHECR observations by the pair production dip, is strongly disfavored in combination with the internal shock model because (a) unrealistically high baryonic loadings (energy in protons versus energy in electrons/gamma-rays) are needed for the individual GRBs and (b) the prompt neutrino flux easily overshoots the corresponding neutrino bound. On the other hand, GRBs may account for the UHECRs in the ankle transition model if cosmic rays leak out from the source at the highest energies. In that case, we demonstrate that future neutrino observations can efficiently test most of the parameter space – unless the baryonic loading is much larger than previously anticipated.
The paradigm that gamma-ray burst fireballs are the sources of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) is being probed by neutrino observations. Very stringent bounds can be obtained from the ...cosmic-ray (proton)-neutrino connection, assuming that the UHECRs escape as neutrons. In this study, we identify three different regimes as a function of the fireball parameters: the standard "one neutrino per cosmic ray" case, the optically thick (to neutron escape) case, and the case where leakage of protons from the boundaries of the shells (direct escape) dominates. In the optically thick regime, the photomeson production is very efficient, and more neutrinos will be emitted per cosmic ray than in the standard case, whereas in the direct escape-dominated regime, more cosmic rays than neutrinos will be emitted. We demonstrate that, for efficient proton acceleration, which is required to describe the observed UHECR spectrum, the standard case only applies to a very narrow region of the fireball parameter space. We illustrate with several observed examples that conclusions on the cosmic-ray-neutrino connection will depend on the actual burst parameters. We also show that the definition of the pion production efficiency currently used by the IceCube collaboration underestimates the neutrino production in the optically thick case. Finally, we point out that the direct escape component leads to a spectral break in the cosmic-ray spectrum emitted from a single source. The resulting "two-component model" can be used to even more strongly pronounce the spectral features of the observed UHECR spectrum than the dip model.
ABSTRACT In light of the latest IceCube data, we discuss the implications of the cosmic ray (CR) energy input from hypernovae (HNe) and supernovae (SNe) into the universe, and their propagation in ...the hosting galaxies and galaxy clusters or groups. The magnetic confinement of CRs in these environments may lead to efficient neutrino production via pp collisions, resulting in a diffuse neutrino spectrum extending from PeV down to 10 TeV energies, with a spectrum and flux level compatible with that recently reported by IceCube. If the diffuse 10 TeV neutrino background largely comes from such CR reservoirs, the corresponding diffuse γ-ray background should be compatible with the recent Fermi data. In this scenario, the CR energy input from HNe should be dominant over that of SNe, implying that the starburst scenario does not work if the SN energy budget is a factor of two larger than the HN energy budget. Thus, this strong case scenario can be supported or ruled out in the near future.
In this work, we take a look at the connection of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR) as well as the possibilities how to verify this connection. The currently most ...promising approach is based on the detection of high-energy neutrinos, which are associated with the acceleration of cosmic rays. We detail how the prompt gamma-ray emission is connected to the prediction of a neutrino signal. We focus on the interactions of photons and protons in this regard. At the example of the current ANTARES GRB neutrino analysis, we show the differences between numerical predictions and older analytical methods. Moreover, we discuss the possibilities how cosmic ray particles can escape from GRBs, assuming that UHECR are entirely made up of protons. For this, we compare the commonly assumed neutron escape model with a new component of direct proton escape. Additionally, we will show that the different components, which contribute to the cosmic ray flux, strongly depend on the burst parameters, and test the applicability on some chosen GRBs. In a further step, we continue with the considerations regarding the connection of GRBs and UHECR by connecting the GRB source model with the cosmic
ray observations using a simple cosmic ray propagation code. We test if it is possible to achieve the observed cosmic ray energy densities with our simple model and what the consequences are regarding the prompt GRB neutrino flux predictions as well as the cosmogenic neutrinos. Furthermore, we consider the question of neutrino lifetime and how it affects the prompt GRB neutrino flux predictions. In a final chapter, we show that it is possible to apply the basic source model with photohadronic interactions to other types of sources, using the example of the microquasar Cygnus X-3.
In dieser Arbeit beschäftigen wir uns mit dem Zusammenhang von Gammablitzen (GRBs) und ultra-hochenergetischer kosmischer Strahlung (UHECR) sowie mit den Möglichkeiten, wie dieser Zusammenhang überprüft werden kann. Der zur Zeit erfolgsversprechendste Ansatz basiert auf der Detektion von hochenergetischen Neutrinos, die mit der Beschleunigung von kosmischer Strahlung assoziiert werden. Wir zeigen detailliert, wie die prompte Emission im Bereich der Gammastrahlung mit der Voraussage eines Neutrinosignals zusammenhängt. Ein besonderes Augenmerk legen wir hierbei auf die Wechselwirkung von Photonen und Protonen. Am Beispiel der aktuellen Analyse des ANTARES Neutrinoteleskops zu Neutrinos von Gammablitzen zeigen wir, wie sich numerische Voraussagen von älteren analytischen Methoden unterscheiden. Des Weiteren diskutieren wir Möglichkeiten, wie die Teilchen der kosmischen Strahlung aus einem Gammablitz entkommen können, wenn die ultra-hochenergetische kosmische Strahlung nur aus Protonen bestehen würde. Wir vergleichen dazu das meistens angenommene Entkommen in Form von Neutronen mit einer neuen Komponente von direkt ausströmenden Protonen. Auch zeigen wir, dass die unterschiedlichen Komponenten, die zur kosmischen Strahlung beitragen, stark von den verwendeten Parametern der Gammablitze abhängen, und uberprüfen die Modelle an einigen ausgewählten Gammablitzen. In einem weiteren Schritt führen wir die Überlegungen zu dem Zusammenhang von Gammablitzen und ultra-hochenergetischer kosmischer Strahlung fort, in dem wir mittels eines einfachen Propagationscodes für kosmische Strahlung eine Verbindung zwischen dem Quellmodell für Gammablitze und den Beobachtungsdaten der kosmischen Strahlung herstellen. Wir überprüfen, inwieweit sich die beobachteten Energiedichten der kosmischen Strahlung mittels unseres einfachen Modells realisieren lassen und welche Konsequenzen dies für die Voraussagen der prompten Neutrinoemission von Gammablitzen sowie den kosmogenischen Neutrinos hat. Außerdem gehen wir der Frage nach, wie die vorausgesagten prompten Neutrinoflüsse von einer endlichen Lebenszeit der Neutrinos beeinflusst werden würden. In einem letzten Kapitel übertragen wir das verwendete grundlegende Quellmodell mit photohadronischen Wechselwirkungen auf eine andere Klasse von Quellen, am Beispiel von Voraussagen fürden Mikroquasar Cygnus X-3.
In this work we give an estimate of the neutrino flux that can be expected from the microquasar Cyg X-3. We calculate the muon neutrino flux expected here on Earth as well as the corresponding number ...of neutrino events in the IceCube telescope based on the so-called hypersoft X-ray state of Cyg~X-3. If the average emission from Cyg~X-3 over a period of 5 yr were as high as during the used X-ray state, a total of 0.8 events should be observed by the full IceCube telescope. We also show that this conclusion holds by a factor of a few when we consider the other measured X-ray states. Using the correlation of AGILE data on the flaring episodes in 2009 June and July to the hypersoft X-ray state we calculate that the upper limits on the neutrino flux given by IceCube are starting to constrain the hadronic models, which have been introduced to interpret the high-energy emission detected by AGILE.