Correlation of the Highest-Energy Cosmic Rays with Nearby Extragalactic Objects

ABRAHAM, JORGE ET AL.; GARCIA, B (400 AUTORES ORDEN ALFABETICO)

SCIENCE

AAAP

Lugar: USA; Año: 2007 vol. 318 p. 938 - 943

0036-8075

Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory during the past 3.7 years,we d emonstrate that there is a correlation between the arrival directions of cosmic rays with energy above 6 1019 eV and the positions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) lying within 75 Mpc. We reject the hypothesis of an isotropic distribution of these cosmic rays at over 99% confidence level from a prescribed a priori test. The correlation we observe is compatible with the hypothesis that the highest energy particles originate from nearby extragalactic sources whose flux has not been significantly reduced by interaction with the cosmic background radiation. AGN or objects having a similar spatial distribution are possible sources. 6 1019 eV and the positions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) lying within 75 Mpc. We reject the hypothesis of an isotropic distribution of these cosmic rays at over 99% confidence level from a prescribed a priori test. The correlation we observe is compatible with the hypothesis that the highest energy particles originate from nearby extragalactic sources whose flux has not been significantly reduced by interaction with the cosmic background radiation. AGN or objects having a similar spatial distribution are possible sources.