Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme
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EP: Fachverband Extraterrestrische Physik
EP 1: Astrophysik I
EP 1.3: Talk
Monday, March 26, 2007, 10:15–10:30, H46
Are ``Anomalous'' Cosmic Rays a Major Contribution for the Low Energy "`Galactic'' Cosmic Ray Spectrum? — •Klaus Scherer1, Horst Fichtner1, Ingo Büsching2, and Stefan Ferreira2 — 1Institut für Theoretische Physik, Lehrstuhl IV: Weltraum- und Astrophysik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany — 2Unit for Space Physics, School of Physics, North-West University, 2520 Potchefstroom, South Africa
The main high energy part of the cosmic ray spectrum can be explained as a result of supernova explosions, while the sources for the lower energy part below 1 GeV, remain unknown. Some processes like the re-acceleration of energetic particles in the interstellar medium or their production by flare stars have been suggested to describe the this part of the spectrum. We propose other sources to explain the low energy end of the cosmic ray spectrum, namely the so-called anomalous cosmic ray component, accelerated at stellar wind termination shocks in astrospheres. This component is a result of the ionization of interstellar neutral gas particles penetrating into an astrosphere. After their subsequent acceleration to MeV or GeV energies these particles diffuse back into the interstellar medium and contribute to the low energy part of the cosmic ray spectrum. We will demonstrate that this process is dominant at energies below 1 GeV.