Cosmic rays around $ {10}^{18}\text{eV}$: Implications of contemporary measurements on the origin of the ankle feature

Olivier Deligny

doi:10.1016/j.crhy.2014.02.009

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays / Rayons cosmiques d'ultra-haute énergie

Cosmic rays around

10^{18} eV

: Implications of contemporary measurements on the origin of the ankle feature

Olivier Deligny ¹

¹ IPN Orsay, 15, rue Clémenceau, 91406 Orsay cedex, France

Part of the special issue:

Comptes Rendus. Physique, Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays: From the ankle to the tip of the spectrum, Volume 15 (2014) no. 4, pp. 367-375

Abstract (Original language)
Résumé

The impressive power-law decay of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays over more than thirty orders of magnitude in intensity and for energies ranging over eleven decades between $≃ 10^{9} eV$ and $≃ 10^{20} eV$ is actually dotted with small irregularities. These irregularities are highly valuable for uncovering and understanding the modes of production and propagation of cosmic rays. They manifest themselves through changes in the spectral index characterising the observed power laws. One of these irregularities, known as the ankle, is subject to conflicting interpretations for many years. If contemporary observations characterising it have shed new lights, they are still far from being able to deliver all the story. The purpose of this contribution is to give an overview of the physics of cosmic rays in the energy range where the transition between Galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays is expected to occur, and to deliver several lines of thought about the origin of the ankle.

L'impressionnante décroissance en loi de puissance du spectre en énergie des rayons cosmiques sur plus de trente ordres de grandeur en intensité et sur une échelle d'énergie balayant onze décades entre $≃ 10^{9} eV$ et $≃ 10^{20} eV$ est en fait semée de petites irrégularités riches d'enseignements quant aux modes de production et de propagation des rayons cosmiques. Ces irrégularités se manifestent par des changements de l'indice spectral caractérisant les lois de puissance observées. L'une de ces irrégularités, connue sous le nom de cheville, fait l'objet d'interprétations antagonistes depuis bon nombre d'années. Si les observations contemporaines la caractérisant ont permis de mieux la cerner, elles sont néanmoins encore loin de pouvoir en livrer tous les ressorts. L'objet de cette contribution est de donner un aperçu de la physique des rayons cosmiques dans la gamme d'énergie propice à une transition entre rayons cosmiques d'origine galactique et extragalactique, et de livrer plusieurs pistes de réflexion sur l'origine de la cheville.

Published online: 2014-03-21

DOI: 10.1016/j.crhy.2014.02.009

Keywords: Cosmic rays, Iron knee, Ankle, Galactic/extragalactic transition
Mots-clés : Rayons cosmiques, Genou de fer, Cheville, Transition galactique/extragalactique

Author's affiliations:

Olivier Deligny ¹

¹ IPN Orsay, 15, rue Clémenceau, 91406 Orsay cedex, France

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     author = {Olivier Deligny},
     title = {Cosmic rays around $ {10}^{18}\text{eV}$: {Implications} of contemporary measurements on the origin of the ankle feature},
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     pages = {367--375},
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     language = {en},
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Olivier Deligny. Cosmic rays around $ {10}^{18}\text{eV}$: Implications of contemporary measurements on the origin of the ankle feature. Comptes Rendus. Physique, Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays: From the ankle to the tip of the spectrum, Volume 15 (2014) no. 4, pp. 367-375. doi: 10.1016/j.crhy.2014.02.009

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