Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Cosmic Rays From Gamma-Ray Bursts In The Galaxy, Charles Dennison Dermer, Jeremy M. Holmes

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

The rate of terrestrial irradiation events by Galactic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is estimated using recent standard-energy results. We assume that GRBs accelerate high-energy cosmic rays, and we present results of three-dimensional simulations of cosmic rays moving in the Galactic magnetic field and diffusing through pitch-angle scattering. An on-axis GRB extinction event begins with a powerful prompt γ-ray and neutron pulse, followed by a longer lived phase from cosmic-ray protons and neutron-decay protons that diffuse toward Earth. Our results force a reinterpretation of reported ∼10¹⁸ eV cosmic-ray anisotropies and offer a rigorous test of the model in which high-energy cosmic rays …