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Article: Turning a fly's eye on energetic cosmic rays. (Fly's Eye detectors pick up high-energy cosmic rays)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- December 4, 1993
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1993 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The origin of high-energy cosmic rays has long puzzled astrophysicists. Were these electrically charged particles accelerated to extremely high velocities outside the Milky Way or in turbulent, supernova-disturbed regions within our galaxy?
Using two ground-based Fly's Eye detectors to pick up the faint streaks created in the night sky by the passage of energetic cosmic rays plunging through Earth's atmosphere, researchers have now obtained the clearest evidence yet that cosmic rays of the highest energies detectable consist largely of protons that apparently originated outside the Milky Way. Cosmic rays of somewhat lower energy consist mainly of atomic nuclei of ...