Related papers: Cosmic Rays above the Knee
We have argued [J. Szabelski et al. (2002)] that the well-known `ankle' in the cosmic ray energy spectrum, at logE (eV) ~ 18.7-19.0, marks the transition from mainly Galactic sources at lower energies to mainly extragalactic above.…
Some recent measurements of the chemical composition of the cosmic radiation indicate that at the energy of 3 x 10 **18 eV, around the ankle, light cosmic ions dominate the spectrum as it occurs in the preknee energy region. Taking…
We discuss the basic features of the propagation of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays in astrophysical backgrounds, comparing two alternative computation schemes to compute the expected fluxes. We also discuss the issue of the transition among…
The energy spectrum, composition and arrival directions of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) with energy above the cosmic ray ankle, measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory, are inconsistent if their origin is assumed to be…
Cosmic rays are charged relativistic particles that reach the Earth with extremely high energies, providing striking evidence of the existence of effective accelerators in the Universe. Below an energy around $\sim 10^{17}$ eV cosmic rays…
An overview is given on the present status of the understanding of the origin of galactic cosmic rays. Recent measurements of charged cosmic rays and photons are reviewed. Their impact on the contemporary knowledge about the sources and…
The existence of cosmic rays of energies exceeding 10^20 eV is one of the mysteries of high energy astrophysics. The spectrum and the high energy to which it extends rule out almost all suggested source models. The challenges posed by…
Recent international efforts have brought us closer to unveiling the century old mystery of the origin of cosmic rays. Cosmic ray, gamma ray, and neutrino observatories are reaching the necessary sensitivity to study the highest energy…
By a short tour through the exciting field of very high-energy and ultra high-energy cosmic rays studies, a brief review is given about the current questions approached, in particular by the KASCADE experiment and the Pierre Auger project.…
Searches for large-scale anisotropies in the distribution of arrival directions of cosmic rays detected above $\simeq 10 $PeV at the Pierre Auger Observatory are presented. Although no significant deviation from isotropy is revealed at…
Scenarios in which the knee of the cosmic ray spectrum depends on the particle rigidities usually predict that the cosmic ray composition becomes heavier above the knee and have associated a change in the spectral slope of each individual…
Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays are known to be mainly of extragalactic origin, and their propagation is limited by energy losses, so their arrival directions are expected to correlate with the large-scale structure of the local Universe. In…
In this paper, a probable interpretation of a remarkable fine structure of all particle spectra between the knee and the ankle, as well as a high content of heavy nuclei around 10^17 eV measured recently in Tunka-133 and KASCADE Grande…
We briefly review sources of cosmic rays, their composition and spectra as well as their propagation in the galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields, both regular and fluctuating. A special attention is paid to the recent results of the…
Cosmic ray astronomy attempts to identify and study the sources of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. It is unique in its reliance on charged particles as the information carriers. While no discrete source of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays has…
The present experimental status concerning the composition of cosmic rays in the PeV region is reviewed. The results are compared to predictions of contemporary models for the acceleration and propagation of galactic cosmic rays.
The highest energy cosmic rays observed possess macroscopic energies and their origin is likely to be associated with the most energetic processes in the Universe. Their existence triggered a flurry of theoretical explanations ranging from…
Cosmic rays have been observed up to energies $10^8$ times larger than those of the best particle accelerators. Studies of astrophysical particles (hadrons, neutrinos and photons) at their highest observed energies have implications for…
The energy spectrum of the cosmic radiation in the range 10$^{19}$-2.4$\times$10$^{21}$ eV has been recently predicted showing a rich and distinctive staircase profile. In order to check the prediction, the spectra measured by running and…
The energy spectrum of cosmic rays above 2.5 EeV has been measured across the declination range $-90^\circ \leq\delta\leq +44.8^\circ$ using data from $\sim 310{,}000$ events accrued at the Pierre Auger Observatory from an exposure of…