Sigl G
Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, CNRS, 98bis Boulevard Arago, 75014 Paris, France.
Science. 2001 Jan 5;291(5501):73-9. doi: 10.1126/science.291.5501.73.
The origin of cosmic rays is one of the major unresolved questions in astrophysics. In particular, the highest energy cosmic rays observed have macroscopic energies up to several 10(20) electron volts and thus provide a probe of physics and astrophysics at energies unattained in laboratory experiments. Theoretical explanations range from astrophysical acceleration of charged particles, to particle physics beyond the established standard model, and processes taking place at the earliest moments of our universe. Distinguishing between these scenarios requires detectors with effective areas in the 1000-square-kilometer range, which are now under construction or in the planning stage. Close connections with gamma-ray and neutrino astrophysics add to the interdisciplinary character of this field.
宇宙射线的起源是天体物理学中主要的未解决问题之一。特别是，观测到的最高能量宇宙射线具有高达10的20次方电子伏特的宏观能量，因此为实验室实验无法达到的能量下的物理和天体物理学提供了一种探测手段。理论解释范围从带电粒子的天体物理加速，到既定标准模型之外的粒子物理学，以及在我们宇宙最早期发生的过程。区分这些情况需要有效面积在1000平方公里范围内的探测器，目前这些探测器正在建设中或处于规划阶段。与伽马射线和中微子天体物理学的密切联系增加了这个领域的跨学科性质。
