Planck Neutrinos as Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The studied conjecture is that ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) are hypothetical Planck neutrinos arising in the decay of the protons falling onto the gravastar. The proton is assumed to decay at the Planck scale into positron and four Planck neutrinos. The supermassive black holes inside active galactic nuclei, while interpreted as gravastars, are considered as UHECR sources. The scattering of the Planck neutrinos by the proton at the Planck scale is considered. The Planck neutrinos contribution to the CR events may explain the CR spectrum from 5 × 10<jats:sup>18</jats:sup> eV to 10<jats:sup>20</jats:sup> eV. The muon number in the Planck neutrinos-initiated shower is estimated to be larger by a factor of 3/2 in comparison with the standard model that is consistent with the observational data.</jats:p>