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Published in

American Astronomical Society, Astrophysical Journal, 2(642), p. L89-L93, 2006

DOI: 10.1086/504711

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Foreground and Source of a Cluster of Ultra-high Energy Cosmic Rays

Journal article published in 2005 by Glennys R. Farrar, Andreas A. Berlind, David W. Hogg ORCID
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

We investigate the origin of a nearly pointlike cluster of 5 ultrahigh energy cosmic rays at RA ~169.2deg and dec ~56.8deg, using Sloan Digital Sky Survey and other data. No particular source candidates are found near the estimated source direction, but the direction is exceptional in having a likely merging pair of galaxy clusters at 140/h Mpc, with an unusually low foreground density. Large scale shocks or another product of the merging galaxy clusters may accelerate the UHECRs, or the merging galaxy clusters may be coincidental and the UHECRs may be accelerated in a rare event of an unexceptional progenitor. Low magnetic deflections in the foreground void may explain why this is the only identified pointlike cluster of so many UHECRs.