Evidence for correlated changes in the spectrum and composition of cosmic rays at extremely high-energies

Collaboration
1993
4 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.Lett. 71 (1993) 3401-3404
Experiments:

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Abstract: (APS)
The Utah Fly’s Eye detector has revealed a change in the cosmic ray composition which is correlated with structure in the all-particle energy spectrum. The data can be fitted by a simple model of a steep power law spectrum of heavy nuclei which is overtaken at high energies by a flatter spectrum of protons. The transition occurs near 1018.5 eV. Anisotropy is not detected, so the high-rigidity particles above the transition energy do not originate in the disk of the Galaxy. An outstanding event of 3×1020 eV implies that the highest energy particles originate in the contemporary era of the Universe.
  • cosmic radiation: energy spectrum
  • energy spectrum: cosmic radiation
  • cosmic radiation: anisotropy
  • cosmic radiation: hadronic component
  • experimental results