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Abstract:

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) are the most energetic particles ever observed, reaching beyond 10^20 eV. Identifying their sources is complicated by magnetic deflections during propagation, but for the highest-energy, lightest particles, these effects are reduced—offering a path toward particle astronomy. Traditional analyses have focused on rejecting isotropic background rather than interpreting possible signals. In this talk, I will discuss how we can instead use our knowledge of UHECR acceleration, propagation, and detection to guide physically motivated source searches. I'll present results from two complementary methods that incorporate key aspects of UHECR phenomenology, offering new insights into source association at the highest energies.