The correlation between the directions of optically-detected AGNs within 75
Mpc and the arrival directions of cosmic rays above 57 EeV detected by the
Auger collaboration up to August 2007 is examined using uniform-exposure plots
and a form of right ascension resonance which does not require choice of an
association window radius. Using the latter, the chance of accidental
correlation is found to be well below 1 in 10^5 even without using 3.2 degree
windows; the correlation with FRI-like radio galaxies within 75 Mpc, listed by
Nagar & Matulich (which are in AGN clusters), is separately just as
significant; and a correlation can also be found in other data at a lower
energy. Cen A is currently inactive at this energy, as more distant radio
galaxies are so prominent. The efficacy of a 57 EeV cut to select this
revelatory (proton) sample of the Auger data may be almost accidental and not
robust. The cosmic rays in the Auger sample seem to be scattered by ~3-4
degrees en route, from about 50 Mpc, and in one relatively well probed sky
region there may be a 4 degree systematic deflection in a Bz component of the
magnetic field in the galactic halo. The sources appear to be mostly within 120
Mpc. This is compatible with a GZK survival horizon, but only if (a) the Auger
energies are underestimated by ~25% and (b) the sudden fall in the energy
spectrum is not simply a GZK effect but essentially reflects an energy cut-off
in the sources.Comment: Submitted to Astroparticle Physics; 27 pages, 13 figures (20 panels