Constraints on the ultra-high energy cosmic ray output of gamma-ray bursts

Abstract

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays are the most extreme energetic particles detected on Earth, however, their acceleration sites are still mysterious. We explore the contribution of low-luminosity gamma-ray bursts to the ultra-high energy cosmic ray flux, since they form the bulk of the nearby population. We analyse a representative sample of these bursts detected by BeppoSAX, INTEGRAL, and Swift between 1998-2016, and found that in order to reconcile our theoretical flux with the observed flux, these bursts should accelerate at most 10^-13 M_⊙ of ultra-high energy cosmic rays.