- icrc2007@icrc2007.unam.mx
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Contribution Oral
Transition from galactic to extragalactic cosmic rays
Speakers
- Dr. Veniamin BEREZINSKY
Primary authors
- Dr. Veniamin BEREZINSKY (INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso)
Abstract content
Despite the radical change of origin, the transition from galactic
to extragalactic cosmic rays (CR) is not well established and not
well understood. In principle three important characteristics of CR,
spectrum, chemical composition and anisotropy, must change at
energy of transition. The spectrum is naturally changing from steep
to flat component. The end of galactic CR is characterised by steep
spectrum with exponent \gamma ~ 3.1. If transition is natural,
the extragalactic spectrum must be flatter. For rigidity-acceleration
or rigidity-propagation models the end of galactic CR must be presented
by the heaviest nuclei, most probably by iron. The transition should
be characterised by changing the mass composition from heaviest to
the light nuclei, like proton and helium. In the end of galactic CR
spectrum the anisotropy should be noticeable, while for extragalactic
CR isotropic distribution is more natural. There are two features in
the observed spectrum, where the transition may occur: the ankle,
the flattening of the spectrum at energy ~10 EeV, and the
second knee at energy 0.4 - 08~EeV. Two classes of models describing
transition at these two energies will be reviewed.