First hints of large scale structures in the ultra-high energy sky?

Abstract

The result of the recent publication [M. Kachelriess and D. V. Semikoz Astropart. Phys. 26, 10 (2006)] of a broad maximum around 25 degrees in the two-point autocorrelation function of ultra-high energy cosmic ray arrival directions has been intriguingly interpreted as the first imprint of the large scale structures (LSS) of baryonic matter in the near universe. We analyze this suggestion in light of the clustering properties expected from the PSCz astronomical catalogue of LSS. The chance probability of the signal is consistent within 2 sigma with the predictions based on the catalogue. No evidence for a significant cross-correlation of the observed events with known overdensities in the LSS is found, which may be due to the role of the galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields, and is however consistent with the limited statistics. The larger statistics to be collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory is needed to answer definitely the question.