UHECRs Propagation and Their Multimessengers: Upper Limits and the Impact of the Extragalactic Magnetic Field

Abstract The detection of high-energy astrophysical multimessengers establishes a connection between ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) and powerful cosmic accelerators. Interactions of UHECRs with radiation fields and interstellar matter generate very-high-energy (VHE) gamma rays and neutrinos, making them key components in the multimessenger framework. This study examines the cosmogenic gamma-ray and neutrino fluxes resulting from UHECR propagation in starburst galaxies with supernova remnants, with a particular focus on NGC 1068, a well-established high-energy neutrino source. Using extragalactic simulations, we calculate the upper limit on cosmic-ray luminosity, applying upper limits on gamma-ray fluxes derived from observations by H.E.S.S. and MAGIC observatories. Our analysis incorporates the effects of both extragalactic and galactic magnetic fields on particle propagation, constraining the maximum extragalactic magnetic field (EGMF) intensity to 10 −14 G to ensure that at least 90% of injected UHECRs successfully reach Earth. The results provide upper limits on gamma-ray and neutrino fluxes, estimates of UHECR luminosity for individual sources, and predictions for the detection capabilities of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory regarding gamma-ray emission from NGC 1068. Combining gamma-ray, neutrino, and UHECR observations reinforces the importance of multimessenger approaches in understanding the nature of high-energy astrophysical sources and their role in cosmic-ray acceleration.