We present an update on CRDB (https://lpsc.in2p3.fr/crdb), the cosmic-ray database for charged species. CRDB is based on MySQL, queried and sorted by jquery and table-sorter libraries, and displayed via PHP web pages through the AJAX protocol. We review the modifications made on the structure and outputs of the database since the first release (Maurin et al., 2014). For this update, the most important feature is the inclusion of ultra-heavy nuclei ($Z>30$), ultra-high energy nuclei (from $10^{15}$ to $10^{20}$ eV), and limits on antinuclei fluxes ($Zleq -1$ for $A>1$); more than 100 experiments, 350 publications, and 40000 data points are now available in CRDB. We also revisited and simplified how users can retrieve data and submit new ones. For questions and requests, please contact [email protected].
We explore the possibility that the recently detected dipole anisotropy in the arrival directions of~$>8$~EeV ultra-high energy cosmic-rays (UHECRs) arises due to the large-scale structure (LSS). We assume that the cosmic ray sources follow the matter distribution and calculate the flux-weighted UHECRs RMS dipole amplitude taking into account the diffusive transport in the intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF). We find that the flux-weighted RMS dipole amplitude is $sim8$% before entering the Galaxy. The amplitude in the [4-8] EeV is only slightly lower $sim 5$%. The required IGMF is of the order of {5-30 nG}, and the UHECR sources must be relatively nearby, within $sim$300 Mpc. The absence of statistically significant signal in the lower energy bin can be explained if the same nuclei specie dominates the composition in both energy bins and diffusion in the Galactic magnetic field (GMF) reduces the dipole of these lower rigidity particles. Photodisintegration of higher energy UHECRs could also reduce somewhat the lower energy dipole.
The status of the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff and pair-production dip in Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) is discussed.They are the features in the spectrum of protons propagating through CMB radiation in extragalactic space, and discovery of these features implies that primary particles are mostly extragalactic protons. The spectra measured by AGASA, Yakutsk, HiRes and Auger detectors are in good agreement with the pair-production dip, and HiRes data have strong evidences for the GZK cutoff. The Auger spectrum,as presented at the 30th ICRC 2007, agrees with the GZK cutoff, too. The AGASA data agree well with the beginning of the GZK cutoff at E leq 80 EeV, but show the excess of events at higher energies, the origin of which is not understood. The difference in the absolute fluxes measured by different detectors disappears after energy shift within the systematic errors of each experiment.
(Abridged) Recent results from the Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) indicate that the composition of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) with energies above $10^{19}$ eV may be dominated by heavy nuclei. An important question is whether the distribution of arrival directions for such UHECR nuclei can exhibit observable anisotropy or positional correlations with their astrophysical source objects despite the expected strong deflections by intervening magnetic fields. For this purpose, we have simulated the propagation of UHECR nuclei including models for both the extragalactic magnetic field and the Galactic magnetic field. Assuming that only iron nuclei are injected steadily from sources with equal luminosity and spatially distributed according to the observed large scale structure in the local Universe, at the number of events published by the PAO so far, the arrival distribution of UHECRs would be consistent with no auto-correlation at 95% confidence if the mean number density of UHECR sources $n_s >~ 10^{-6}$ Mpc$^{-3}$, and consistent with no cross-correlation with sources within 95% errors for $n_s >~ 10^{-5}$ Mpc$^{-3}$. On the other hand, with 1000 events above $5.5 times 10^{19}$ eV in the whole sky, next generation experiments can reveal auto-correlation with more than 99% probability even for $n_s <~ 10^{-3}$ Mpc$^{-3}$, and cross-correlation with sources with more than 99% probability for $n_s <~ 10^{-4}$ Mpc$^{-3}$. In addition, we find that the contribution of Centaurus A is required to reproduce the currently observed UHECR excess in the Centaurus region. Secondary protons generated by photodisintegration of primary heavy nuclei during propagation play a crucial role in all cases, and the resulting anisotropy at small angular scales should provide a strong hint of the source location if the maximum energies of the heavy nuclei are sufficiently high.
We consider the recent results on UHECR (Ultra High Energy Cosmic Ray) composition and their distribution in the sky from ten EeV energy (the dipole anisotropy) up to the highest UHECR energies and their clustering maps: UHECR have been found mostly made by light and lightest nuclei. We summarized the arguments that favor a few localized nearby extragalactic sources for most UHECR as CenA, NG 253, M82. We comment also on the possible partial role of a few remarkable galactic UHECR sources. Finally we revive the eventual role of a relic neutrino eV mass in dark hot halo (hit by ZeV neutrinos) to explain the new UHECR clustering events centered around a very far cosmic AGN sources as 3C 454.
We outline two concepts to explain Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs), one based on radio galaxies and their relativistic jets and terminal hot spots, and one based on relativistic Super-Novae (SNe) or Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) in starburst galaxies, one matching the arrival direction data in the South (the radio galaxy Cen A) and one in the North (the starburst galaxy M82). Ubiquitous neutrino emission follows accompanied by compact TeV photon emission, detectable more easily if the direction is towards Earth. The ejection of UHECRs is last. We have observed particles up to ZeV, neutrinos up to PeV, photons up to TeV, 30 - 300 Hz GW events, and hope to detect soon of order Hz to mHz GW events. Energy turnover in single low frequency GW events may be of order 10^63 erg. How can we further test these concepts? First of all by associating individual UHECR events, or directional groups of events, with chemical composition in both the Telescope Array (TA) Coll. and the Auger Coll. data. Second by identifying more TeV to PeV neutrinos with recent SMBH mergers. Third by detecting the order < mHz GW events of SMBH binaries, and identifying the galaxies host to the stellar BH mergers and their GW events in the range up to 300 Hz. Fourth by finally detecting the formation of the first generation of SMBHs and their mergers, surely a spectacular discovery.