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Second dip as a signature of ultrahigh energy proton interactions with cosmic microwave background radiation

V. Berezinsky, A. Gazizov, M. Kachelrieß

astro-pharXiv:astro-ph/0612247

Abstract

We discuss as a new signature for the interaction of extragalactic ultrahigh energy protons with cosmic microwave background radiation a spectral feature located at E=6.3× 1019 eV in the form of a narrow and shallow dip. It is produced by the interference of e+e--pair and pion production. We show that this dip and in particular its position are almost model-independent. Its observation by future ultrahigh energy cosmic ray detectors may give the conclusive confirmation that an observed steepening of the spectrum is caused by the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin effect.

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