The Galactic magnetic field and propagation of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

Center for Particle Physics, Institute of Physics, The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Praha 8, Czech Republic

Corresponding author: M. Prouza, prouza@fzu.cz

Received: 16 December 2002
Accepted: 23 June 2003

Abstract

The puzzle of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) still remains unresolved. With the progress in the preparation of the next generation of experiments (AUGER, EUSO, OWL), the importance of directional analysis of existing and future events is increasing. The Galactic Magnetic Field (GMF) plays the key role in source identification even in this energy range. We first analyze the current status of our experimental and theoretical knowledge about the GMF and introduce a complex up-to-date model of GMF. Then we present two examples of simple applications of the influence of the GMF on UHECR propagation. Both examples are based on the Lorentz equation solution. The first one is a basic directional analysis of the incident directions of UHECRs and the second one is a simulation of a change of chemical composition of CRs in the energy range eV. The results of these simple analyses are surprisingly rich – e.g. the rates of particle escape from the Galaxy or the amplifications of particle flux in specific directions.