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The Extragalactic Flux of Cosmic Rays

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2016

R. W. Clay  and
A. G. K. Smith
R. W. Clay
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Mathematical Physics, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australiarclay@physics.adelaide.edu.au
A. G. K. Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Mathematical Physics, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australiarclay@physics.adelaide.edu.au
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Abstract

The propagation of extragalactic particles within our Galaxy has been modelled. The flux of such particles is below the observed cosmic ray flux at most energies when their power-law spectrum is extrapolated back from the highest energies. Also, we expect that the propagation of extragalactic particles through static magnetic fields in the Galaxy will not result in a flux change to match the flux of particles measured here within the Galaxy. However, if we were to consider the observed cosmic rays to be of Galactic origin, there would be a remarkable similarity between the required Galactic injection flux and the extrapolated extragalactic flux. We consider here whether the scattering of extragalactic particles in the Galaxy together with an associated energy perturbation might be sufficient for the extragalactic beam to result in the production of ‘Galactic’ particles and, hence, essentially all of the observed cosmic rays. This appears to be possible.

Keywords

acceleration of particlesISM: magnetic fields
Type
Extragalactic
Information
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , May 1996 , pp. 121 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Australia 1996

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