UHECRs from magnetic reconnection in relativistic jets
Abstract
Ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) may be produced in active galactic nuclei (AGN) or gamma-ray burst (GRB) jets. I argue that magnetic reconnection in jets can accelerate UHECRs rather independently of physical processes in the magnetic dissipation region. First order Fermi acceleration can efficiently take place in the region where the unreconnected (upstream) magnetized fluid converges into the reconnection layer. I find that protons can reach energies up to E~1020 eV in GRB and powerful AGN jets while iron nuclei can reach similar energies in AGN jets of more moderate luminosity.
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