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Event Number 1666
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
NPAC (Nuclear/Particle/Astro/Cosmo) Forum
Galactic cosmic ray anisotropy : origin and implications and the role of IceCube
- Time: 4:00 pm
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin
- Speaker: Paolo Desiati, University of Wisconsin at Madison
- Abstract: The assumed isotropy of galactic cosmic rays has been topic of investigation since the seventies, when an O(10^-3 - 10^-4) anisotropy in arrival direction has been observed for the first time. The wide energy range of this observations (from tens of GeV to hundreds of TeV) has raised questions on the origin of this phenomenon. While we can generically claim that the responsible of this anisotropy is to be connected to the structure of the Local Interstellar Medium, and specifically to the Local Interstellar Magnetic Field (within about 0.1-1.0 pc ~ 20,000 - 200,000 AU), we still suffer from the lack of knowledge of the properties of our local environment. Only recently, with the observation of O(10-30 degrees) excess of cosmic rays by MILAGRO and with the first high statistics observation of the southern sky by IceCube, the topic is gaining renewed attention. The possibility that the ~100's TeV galactic cosmic ray anisotropy might be connected to the blast from a nearby supernova, in connection with the anomalies in the observed positron fraction and electron spectrum is very appealing and will be discussed.
- Host: Michael Ramsey-Musolf
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