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Ultra-high energy γ rays and cosmic rays from accreting degenerate stars

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Abstract

Ultra-high energy (UHE) γ-ray emission, with photon energies up to 2×1016 eV, has been detected1,2 from the galactic X-ray source Cygnus X-3 (Cyg X-3), implying the acceleration of charged particles there to even greater energies. We present here a model for acceleration of particles to such energies in binary-star systems containing accreting magnetized neutron stars, which, if correct, implies that many of the known pulsating X-ray sources and magnetized cataclysmic variables should also emit UHE γ rays.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70803, USA

    G. Chanmugam

  2. Department of Astronomy, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA

    K. Brecher

Authors
  1. G. Chanmugam
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  2. K. Brecher
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Chanmugam, G., Brecher, K. Ultra-high energy γ rays and cosmic rays from accreting degenerate stars. Nature 313, 767–768 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/313767a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/313767a0

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