Cosmic Magnetic Fields and Their Influence on Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Ray Propagation

Abstract

We discuss the influence of large scale cosmic magnetic fields on the propagation of hadronic cosmic rays above 10^19 eV based on large scale structure simulations. Our simulations suggest that rather substantial deflection up to several tens of degrees at 10^20 eV are possible for nucleon primaries. Further, spectra and composition of cosmic rays from individual sources can depend on magnetic fields surrounding these sources in intrinsically unpredictable ways. This is true even if deflection from such individual sources is small. We conclude that the influence of large scale cosmic magnetic fields on ultra-high energy cosmic ray propagation is currently hard to quantify. We discuss possible reasons for discrepant results of simulations by Dolag et al. which predict deflections of at most a few degrees for nucleons. We finally point out that even in these latter simulations a possible heavy component would in general suffer substantial deflection.