Binary Neutron Star Mergers: The Source of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays?

This paper proposes that binary neutron star mergers are the source of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). The authors argue that these mergers produce jets with nearly universal maximum rigidities, explaining the observed narrow range of rigidities in UHECRs. The paper also explains how the rate of these mergers, the power of their jets, and the production of heavy nuclei like tellurium during the merger process all contribute to the observed properties of UHECRs. The authors also predict that neutrinos should be detected alongside gravitational waves from these mergers, providing a testable prediction of their theory. Publication: G. Farrar, "Binary neutron star mergers as the source of the highest energy cosmic rays", arXiv:2405.12004 Acknowledgements: Illustration credtis: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. Podcast created by Google/NotebookLM