Ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays from tidally-ignited white dwarfs
Physical Review D American Physical Society 96:10 (2017) 103003
Abstract:
Ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) can be accelerated by tidal disruption events of stars by black holes. We suggest a novel mechanism for UHECR acceleration wherein white dwarfs (WDs) are tidally compressed by intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), leading to their ignition and subsequent explosion as a supernova. Cosmic rays accelerated by the supernova may receive an energy boost when crossing the accretion-powered jet. The rate of encounters between WDs and IMBHs can be relatively high, as the number of IMBHs may be substantially augmented once account is taken of their likely presence in dwarf galaxies. Here we show that this kind of tidal disruption event naturally provides an intermediate composition for the observed UHECRs, and suggest that dwarf galaxies and globular clusters are suitable sites for particle acceleration to ultrahigh energies.CLUSTER-VOID DEGENERACY BREAKING: DARK ENERGY, PLANCK, AND THE LARGEST CLUSTER AND VOID
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS 820:1 (2016) ARTN L7
Probing the circumgalactic baryons through cross-correlations
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 456:2 (2016) 1495-1507
Flaring of tidally compressed dark-matter clumps
PHYSICAL REVIEW D 93:4 (2016) ARTN 043508
External pressure-triggering of star formation in a disc galaxy: a template for positive feedback
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 455:4 (2016) 4166-4182