Towards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic-ray arrival directions
Abstract We present a novel method to search for structures of coherently aligned patterns in ultra-high energy cosmic-ray arrival directions simultaneously across the entire sky. This method can be used to obtain information on the Galactic magnetic field, in particular the integrated component per...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2021-09-01
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| Series: | European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09575-x |
| _version_ | 1818607895359520768 |
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| author | Marcus Wirtz Teresa Bister Martin Erdmann |
| author_facet | Marcus Wirtz Teresa Bister Martin Erdmann |
| author_sort | Marcus Wirtz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We present a novel method to search for structures of coherently aligned patterns in ultra-high energy cosmic-ray arrival directions simultaneously across the entire sky. This method can be used to obtain information on the Galactic magnetic field, in particular the integrated component perpendicular to the line of sight, from cosmic-ray data only. Using a likelihood-ratio approach, neighboring cosmic rays are related by rotatable, elliptically shaped density distributions and the significance of their alignment with respect to circular distributions is evaluated. In this way, a vector field tangential to the celestial sphere is fitted which approximates the local deflections in cosmic magnetic fields if significant deflection structures are detected. The sensitivity of the method is evaluated on the basis of astrophysical simulations of the ultra-high energy cosmic-ray sky, where a discriminative power between isotropic and signal-induced scenarios is found. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:34:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2388b92b629144eda63f9b1387fe99fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1434-6044 1434-6052 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:34:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields |
| spelling | doaj.art-2388b92b629144eda63f9b1387fe99fe2022-12-21T22:28:08ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields1434-60441434-60522021-09-0181911510.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09575-xTowards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic-ray arrival directionsMarcus Wirtz0Teresa Bister1Martin Erdmann2RWTH Aachen University, III. Physikalisches Institut ARWTH Aachen University, III. Physikalisches Institut ARWTH Aachen University, III. Physikalisches Institut AAbstract We present a novel method to search for structures of coherently aligned patterns in ultra-high energy cosmic-ray arrival directions simultaneously across the entire sky. This method can be used to obtain information on the Galactic magnetic field, in particular the integrated component perpendicular to the line of sight, from cosmic-ray data only. Using a likelihood-ratio approach, neighboring cosmic rays are related by rotatable, elliptically shaped density distributions and the significance of their alignment with respect to circular distributions is evaluated. In this way, a vector field tangential to the celestial sphere is fitted which approximates the local deflections in cosmic magnetic fields if significant deflection structures are detected. The sensitivity of the method is evaluated on the basis of astrophysical simulations of the ultra-high energy cosmic-ray sky, where a discriminative power between isotropic and signal-induced scenarios is found.https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09575-x |
| spellingShingle | Marcus Wirtz Teresa Bister Martin Erdmann Towards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic-ray arrival directions European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields |
| title | Towards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic-ray arrival directions |
| title_full | Towards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic-ray arrival directions |
| title_fullStr | Towards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic-ray arrival directions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic-ray arrival directions |
| title_short | Towards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic-ray arrival directions |
| title_sort | towards extracting cosmic magnetic field structures from cosmic ray arrival directions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09575-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marcuswirtz towardsextractingcosmicmagneticfieldstructuresfromcosmicrayarrivaldirections AT teresabister towardsextractingcosmicmagneticfieldstructuresfromcosmicrayarrivaldirections AT martinerdmann towardsextractingcosmicmagneticfieldstructuresfromcosmicrayarrivaldirections |