Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays from Radio Galaxies

Understand

Radio galaxies are intensively discussed as the sources of cosmic rays observed above about $3\,{\times}\,10^{18}\,\text{eV}$, called ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs).

• We present a first, systematic approach that takes the individual characteristics of these sources into account, as well as the impact of the extragalactic magnetic-field structures up to a distance of 120 Mpc.
• We use a mixed simulation setup, based on 3D simulations of UHECRs ejected by observed, individual radio galaxies taken out to a distance of 120 Mpc, and on 1D simulations over a continuous source distribution contributing from beyond 120 Mpc.
• Additionally, we include the ultra-luminous radio galaxy Cygnus A at a distance of about $250\,$Mpc, as its contribution is so strong that it must be considered as an individual point source.