By Margot Boughelilba
While the sources of the extremely energetic particles detected on Earth remain mostly unknown, a new class of galaxies called FR0s could play a role in solving this mystery
Fanaroff-Riley (FR) 0 radio galaxies are a new class of galaxies and are usually weaker but more numerous than their cousins FR 1 and 2. Since the FR 1 and FR 2 have been proposed to be able to accelerate particles up to ultra-high energies, we investigate if the FR 0 could also contribute to the flux of ultra-high energy cosmic rays detected on Earth. If so, by being more numerous, they could play a dominant role in the emitted flux of such particles. We collect data and produce an average spectrum of the FR0 population and find that FR0s can be accelerators of particles, depending on which acceleration scenarios and losses mechanisms are considered.
Find out more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2021.102564