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Cosmic-ray antimatter: A primary origin hypothesis

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Abstract

We examine the possibility that the observed cosmic-ray protons are of primary extragalactic origin. The present\(\bar p\) data are consistent with a primary extragalactic component having\(\bar p\)/p≃3.2±0.7 x 10-4 independent of energy. Following the suggestion that most extragalactic cosmic rays are from active galaxies, we propose that most of the observed\(\bar p\)'s are alos from the same sites. This would imply the possibility of destroying the corresponding\(\bar \alpha \)'sat the source, thus leading to a flux ratio\(\bar \alpha \)/α<\(\bar p\)/p. We further predict an estimate for\(\bar \alpha \)α∼10-5, within the range of future cosmic-ray detectors. the cosmological implications of this proposal are discussed.

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Author notes

  1. D. Kazanas

    Present address: University of Maryland Research Associate, College Park, USA

  2. R. J. Protheroe

    Present address: Physics Dept., University of Adelaide, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., USA

    F. W. Stecker, R. J. Protheroe & D. Kazanas

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  1. F. W. Stecker
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  2. R. J. Protheroe
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  3. D. Kazanas
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Stecker, F.W., Protheroe, R.J. & Kazanas, D. Cosmic-ray antimatter: A primary origin hypothesis. Astrophys Space Sci 96, 171–177 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00661950

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00661950

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