Related papers: Astroparticle Physics: Puzzles and Discoveries
The observation of cosmic--ray events above the Greisen-Kuzmin-Zatsepin (GZK) cutoff of $\sim 5\times 10^{19}$ eV challenges orthodox modeling. We discuss a possible solution which uses standard hot Big Bang cosmology and Standard Model…
The paper describes methods used for the detection of cosmic rays with energies above 10^18 eV (UHECR, UltraHigh Energy Cosmic Rays). It had been anticipated there would be a cutoff in the energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays around 3…
The existence of cosmic ray particles up to the ultra-high energy limit (> 10^20 eV) is now beyond any doubt. The detection of cosmic particles with such energies imposes a challenge for the comprehension of their sources and nature. On one…
The Ultra-high energy cosmic ray energy spectrum summarized by the AGASA collaboration indicates clearly that the cosmic ray spectrum extends well beyond the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cut-off at \sim 5 x 10^19 eV. Furthermore, despite…
Historically cosmic rays have always been at the intersection of astrophysics with particle physics. This is still and especially true in current days where experimenters routinely observe atmospheric showers from particles whose energies…
In this paper we will discuss the problem of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) and show that the idea of a Single Source Model established by Erlykin and Wolfendale (1997) to explain the features seen in cosmic ray energy spectra around…
The spectrum of extra-galactic cosmic rays (CRs) is expected to follow the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff at about 5x10^10 GeV which results from energy losses of charged nuclei in the cosmic microwave background. So far the…
Cosmic rays of energies larger than the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff may be neutrinos if they acquire strong interactions due to a ``precocious unification'' of forces. A scenario for this to happen is outlined. There is no…
The current status of the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHE CR) enigma and several proposed solutions involving particle physics beyond the standard model are discussed. Emphasis is given to top--down models, and as a main example,…
Ultra High Cosmic Rays (UHECR) Astronomy may be correlated to a primary parental Neutrino Astronomy: indeed any far BL Lac Jet or GRB, sources of UHECR, located at cosmic edges, may send its signal, overcoming the severe GZK cut-off, by…
The discoveries of the GZK cutoff with the HiRes and Auger Observatories and the discovery by Auger of clustering of >~60 EeV ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) towards nearby <~75 Mpc) AGNs along the supergalactic plane establishes the…
The primary ultrahigh energy particles which produce giant extensive air showers in the Earth's atmosphere present an intriguing mystery from two points of view: (1) How are these particles produced with such astounding energies, eight…
We review open questions and prospects for progress in ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) research, based on a series of discussions that took place during the `The High-Energy Universe: Gamma-Ray, Neutrino, and Cosmic-ray Astronomy' MIAPP…
While several arguments can be proposed against the existence of particles with energy in excess of $(3-5)\times 10^{19}$ eV in the cosmic ray spectrum, these particles are actually observed and their origin seeks for an explanation. After…
A fundamental question that can be answered in the next decade is: WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE HIGHEST ENERGY COSMIC PARTICLES? The discovery of the sources of the highest energy cosmic rays will reveal the workings of the most energetic…
I briefly review the cosmological constant problem and the issue of dark energy (or quintessence). Within the framework of quantum field theory, the vacuum expectation value of the energy momentum tensor formally diverges as $k^4$. A cutoff…
It has been argued that the observations of cosmic particles with energies in excess of $10^8$ TeV represent a puzzle. Its solution requires new astrophysics or new particle physics. We show that the latter is unlikely given that the scale…
The origin of highest energy cosmic rays (UHECR) is yet unknown. In order to understand their propagation we determine the probability that an ultrahigh energy (above 5\cdot 10^{19} eV) proton created at a distance r with energy E arrives…
Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) are atomic nuclei from space with vastly higher energies than any other particles ever observed. Their origin and chemical composition remain a mystery. As we show here, the large- and…
Some solutions of the hierarchy problem of particle physics can lead to significantly increased neutrino cross sections beyond the electroweak scale. We discuss some consequences for and constraints resulting from cosmic ray physics.