Exotic PeVatrons as sources of ultra-high-energy gamma rays
We explore novel classes of exotic astrophysical sources capable of producing ultra-high-energy gamma rays extending beyond the PeV scale, motivated by quantum gravity scenarios and dark matter phenomenology. These sources include: ultra-spinning black hole vortex-string systems; exotic compact objects such as boson star, axion star and Q-ball. Such Exotica generate powerful magnetic fields through interactions with millicharged dark matter, enabling particle acceleration mechanisms that surpass the energy limits of conventional astrophysical sources like pulsar wind nebulae and supernova remnants. We demonstrate that such exotic PeVatrons could be distributed throughout our Galaxy and may be detectable by current (LHAASO, HAWC) and next-generation (CTA) gamma-ray observatories.
Authors
- S. Capozziello
- Qingyu Gan
- Andrea Addazi
Institutions
- Center for Theoretical Physics (PL)
- Clinical Research Organization (BD)
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Napoli (IT)
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (IT)
- Scuola Superiore Meridionale (IT)
- Anqing Normal University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of High Energy Astrophysics
- Published
- 2026-01-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jheap.2026.100561
- Primary Topic
- Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00