One prediction of particle acceleration in the supernova remnants in the magnetic wind of exploding Wolf Rayet and Red Super Giant stars is that the final spectrum is a composition of a spectrum $E^{-7/3}$ and a polar cap component of $E^{-2}$ at the
source. This polar cap component contributes to the total energy content with only a few percent, but dominates the spectrum at higher energy. The sum of both components gives spectra which curve upwards. The upturn was predicted to occur always at the same rigidity. An additional component of cosmic rays from acceleration by supernovae exploding into the Inter-Stellar Medium (ISM) adds another component for Hydrogen and for Helium. After transport the predicted spectra $J(E)$ for the wind-SN cosmic rays are $E^{-8/3}$ and $E^{-7/3}$; the sum leads to an upturn from the steeper spectrum. An upturn has now been seen. Here, we test the observations against the predictions, and show that the observed properties are consistent with the predictions. Hydrogen can be shown to also have a noticeable wind-SN-component. The observation of the upturn in the heavy element spectra being compatible with the same rigidity for all heavy elements supports the magneto-rotational mechanism for these supernovae. This interpretation predicts the observed upturn to continue to curve upwards and approach the $E^{-7/3}$ spectrum. If confirmed, this would strengthen the case that supernovae of very massive stars with magnetic winds are important sources of Galactic cosmic rays.
One important prediction of acceleration of particles in the supernova caused shock in the magnetic wind of exploding Wolf Rayet and Red Super Giant stars is the production of an energetic particle component with an E^-2 spectrum, at a level of a few
percent in flux at injection. After allowing for transport effects, so steepening the spectrum to E^-7/3, this component of electrons produces electromagnetic radiation and readily explains the WMAP haze from the Galactic Center region in spectrum, intensity and radial profile. This requires the diffusion time scale for cosmic rays in the Galactic Center region to be much shorter than in the Solar neighborhood: the energy for cosmic ray electrons at the transition between diffusion dominance and loss dominance is shifted to considerably higher particle energy. We predict that more precise observations will find a radio spectrum of u^-2/3, at higher frequencies u^-1, and at yet higher frequencies finally u^-3/2.
The high-peaked BL Lac object Pks2155-304 shows high variability at multiwavelengths, i.e. from optical up to TeV energies. A giant flare of around 1 hour at X-ray and TeV energies was observed in 2006. In this context, it is essential to understand
the physical processes in terms of the primary spectrum and the radiation emitted, since high-energy emission can arise in both leptonic and hadronic processes. In this contribution, we investigate the possibility of neutrino production in photo-hadronic interactions. In particular, we predict a direct correlation between optical and TeV energies at sufficiently high optical radiation fields. We show that in the blazar Pks2155-304, the optical emission in the low-state is sufficient to lead to photo-hadronic interactions and therefore to the production of high-energy photons.
The origin of ultra high energy cosmic rays promises to lead us to a deeper understanding of the structure of matter. This is possible through the study of particle collisions at center-of-mass energies in interactions far larger than anything possib
le with the Large Hadron Collider, albeit at the substantial cost of no control over the sources and interaction sites. For the extreme energies we have to identify and understand the sources first, before trying to use them as physics laboratories. Here we describe the current stage of this exploration. The most promising contenders as sources are radio galaxies and gamma ray bursts. The sky distribution of observed events yields a hint favoring radio galaxies. Key in this quest are the intergalactic and galactic magnetic fields, whose strength and structure are not yet fully understood. Current data and statistics do not yet allow a final judgment. We outline how we may progress in the near future.
