Probing UHECR production in Centaurus A using secondary neutrinos and gamma-rays

Abstract

Abstract In this paper the production of neutrinos and photons by ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) interacting with the extragalactic background radiation is studied. Centaurus A is assumed as the prime source of UHECR and the possibility to identify this source by detecting the secondary neutrinos and photons produced in the propagation of UHECR is investigated. Fifteen astrophysical models regarding three extragalactic magnetic fields (EGMF) and five composition abundances are simulated. The flux and arrival direction of neutrinos and photons are investigated. It is shown that the detection of a signal from Cen A with statistical significance is achievable by current observatories in a few years and by proposed experiments in the near future. The dependence of the results on the models is also presented.