Low-mass microquasars once thought incapable of significant particle acceleration, may contribute to the cosmic ray flux reaching Earth.

Low-Mass Microquasars: Cosmic Ray Sources?

Low-mass microquasars as Cosmic Ray Accelerators

The universe is filled with high-energy particles known as cosmic rays, primarily composed of protons that can travel toward Earth near the speed of light. While our atmosphere acts as a shield, protecting us from these energetic particles, they can still strike with such intensity that they create secondary particles capable of reaching the Earth’s surface. The detection of cosmic rays has been a point of extensive interest in astrophysics, particularly in understanding their origins and the mechanisms involved in their acceleration to high energies.

Traditionally, the most notable sources of cosmic rays have been identified as quasars, which are extraordinarily bright objects powered by supermassive black holes. These celestial phenomena can accelerate particles to very high energies, producing jets that expel these particles across immense cosmic distances. Despite the vast number of particles observed on Earth, the rate of cosmic ray events linked to quasars alone does not fully account for the total numbers…