On the Origin of Cosmic Rays
Abstract
Using recent surveys of molecular clouds and gamma-rays in the galaxy, it has become possible to determine the distribution of 1 to 10 GeV cosmic-ray nucleons in the galaxy. This distribution appears to be identical to the supernova remnant distribution to within experimental error, providing strong support for the hypothesis that supernovae produce most of the observed cosmic rays. This distribution resembles that of OB associations of an average age of 30 million years, suggesting that cosmic rays are produced by population I objects about 30 million years after their birth.
- Publication:
-
International Cosmic Ray Conference
- Pub Date:
- August 1975
- Bibcode:
- 1975ICRC....1...70S
- Keywords:
-
- Cosmic Rays;
- Galactic Radiation;
- Radiation Distribution;
- Radiation Sources;
- Supernova Remnants;
- B Stars;
- Cosmology;
- O Stars;
- Radiant Flux Density;
- Stellar Radiation;
- Space Radiation