Simulating the propagation of cosmic rays heavier than iron in SimProp

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) have long been assumed to entirely consist of iron and/or lighter atomic nuclei, and this assumption has been hard-coded in a great deal of software for UHECR simulations and data analysis. However, in the last few years several authors have started questioning this assumption and entertaining the possibility that UHECRs might at least partly consist of nuclei of elements heavier than iron, especially at the highest energies. Thoroughly testing this hypothesis will require upgrading software so that it can handle such nuclei. In this contribution I will describe the minimal modifications required for the last publicly released version of SimProp, a code for Monte Carlo simulations of the intergalactic propagation of UHECRs, to be able to treat heavier nuclei, and discuss the applicability of approximations first introduced for lighter nuclei.

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Publication Details

Published
2025-10-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.22323/1.501.0243
Primary Topic
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
Type
article
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article

Simulating the propagation of cosmic rays heavier than iron in SimProp

Armando di Matteo
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
article

Simulating the propagation of cosmic rays heavier than iron in SimProp

Armando di Matteo
article en

Abstract

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) have long been assumed to entirely consist of iron and/or lighter atomic nuclei, and this assumption has been hard-coded in a great deal of software for UHECR simulations and data analysis. However, in the last few years several authors have started questioning this assumption and entertaining the possibility that UHECRs might at least partly consist of nuclei of elements heavier than iron, especially at the highest energies. Thoroughly testing this hypothesis will require upgrading software so that it can handle such nuclei. In this contribution I will describe the minimal modifications required for the last publicly released version of SimProp, a code for Monte Carlo simulations of the intergalactic propagation of UHECRs, to be able to treat heavier nuclei, and discuss the applicability of approximations first introduced for lighter nuclei.

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Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
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Simulating the propagation of cosmic rays heavier than iron in SimProp — Armando di Matteo · (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS