Small-scale anisotropy and composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis><Subscript>0</Subscript> ≈ 10<Superscript>17</Superscript> eV cosmic rays according to data from the Yakutsk array for studying extensive air showers

Results are presented that were obtained from an analysis of arrival directions for cosmic rays of energy in the range E ₀ ≈ 10^16.9–17.2 eV that were recorded by the Yakutsk array between 1974 and 2001 at zenith angles of θ ≤ 45°. It is shown that a considerable part of them form clusters that have small-scale cellular structure. In all probability, these showers are generated by neutral particles of an extragalactic origin.     

Ordered structure of the directions of arrival of E<Subscript>0</Subscript>∼5×10<Superscript>17</Superscript> eV cosmic rays according to data from the Yakutsk array for recording extensive air showers

Results are presented that were obtained by analyzing arrival directions for cosmic rays recorded by the Yakutsk array between 1974 and 2001 in the energy range E₀=10^17.6–17.9 eV for zenith angles in the region θ≤53°. It is shown that their flux consists of two components—an isotropic (about 75%) and a cluster (about 25%) one—that are characterized by sharply different degrees of anisotropy. At E₀=10^17.7–17.8 eV, the observed showers are found to be strongly correlated with the Supergalaxy plane.     

Estimate of the mass composition of cosmic rays above 4×10<Superscript>19</Superscript> eV

The arrival directions of extensive air showers are analyzed on the basis of world data. It is found that the zenith-angle distributions for energies E>10¹⁹ eV and E>4×10¹⁹ eV differ from each other. According to our estimates, the SUGAR array detects no showers above 10²⁰ eV. The mass composition of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays is estimated. Cosmic rays with E>4×10¹⁹ eV most likely consist of superheavy nuclei.     

On the origin of <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis><Subscript>0</Subscript> ≥ 10<Superscript>17</Superscript> eV cosmic rays according to data from the Yakutsk array for studying extensive air showers

Results are presented that were obtained by analyzing the energy spectrum and anisotropy of E ₀ ≥ 10¹⁷ eV primary cosmic rays on the basis of data accumulated at the Yakutsk array for studying extensive air showers over the period between 1974 and 2004. It is shown that spectra corresponding to different regions of the sky differ in shape. Particle fluxes going from the Galaxy and Supergalaxy (a local supercluster of galaxies) disks are enhanced for E ₀ ≥ 5 × 10¹⁸ eV and are reduced for E ₀ ≤ (2–3) × 10¹⁸ eV. This observation is interpreted as a manifestation of the possible interaction between extragalactic primary cosmic rays and matter of the above structures of space.     

Nuclear composition of 1-to 20-PeV primary cosmic rays according to lateral features of the electron-photon component of all extensive air showers and of extensive air showers accompanying high-energy gamma rays and hadrons in x-ray emulsion chambers at the Tien Shan level

Data from the Tien Shan array Adron on the dependence of the lateral distributions of the electron-photon component (age parameter S) in extensive air showers of cosmic rays on the number of electrons, N _e , which is a quantity that characterizes the primary-nucleus energy E₀, are subjected to a comparative analysis. The distributions in question are given both for all showers and for showers accompanying high-energy gamma rays and hadrons in x-ray emulsion chambers. According to calculations, events associated with the latter are generated predominantly by primary protons, and this makes it possible to assess their role at various values of E₀. The distributions with respect to S suggest a significant fraction of light nuclei, predominantly protons, in the region after the knee in the spectrum for N _e >10⁶, at least up to N _e =5.6×10⁶ (E₀ ～ 10 PeV).     

Searching for preferential arrival directions of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays on the Moscow State University EAS array

There is evidence for possible clustering in the arrival directions of extensive air showers (EASs). A program for analyzing EAS arrival directions has been developed to investigate this problem and the database of the Moscow State University EAS array for 1982–1989 has been analyzed. The distributions in equatorial coordinates have been derived for cosmic rays with energies E ≥ 2 × 10¹⁵ eV and zenith angles <40°. The uniformity of the derived distributions is verified using various statistical tests.     

Energy spectra of secondary particles in γ families and their sensitivity to the spectrum of primary cosmic rays

Spectra of secondary particles (γ-rays) in γ-families detected in the X-ray chambers in the Pamirs (H = 600 g cm^?2) have been analyzed. These γ-ray spectra show a bend at the energy E* _γ ≈ (ΣE _γ )^min, where (ΣE _γ )^min is the lowest total energy of γ-rays in the families above which γ-families were selected. The bend is not related to the knee in the spectrum of primary particles; it is due to the use of the ΣE _γ selection criterion. The E _γ spectrum slope is sensitive to the spectrum of the primary cosmic rays in the region E _γ ≥ (ΣE _γ )^min.     

Method for measuring the PCR proton spectrum in the energy range of > 10<Superscript>16</Superscript> eV

Criteria for selecting proton events among the total sequence of events from primary nuclei of cosmic rays with zenith angles θ < 20° are analyzed in the energy region of E ₀ ≈ 10¹⁶ eV. These criteria are concretized for the case of the SPHERE-2 experiment geometry. The QGSJET-I and QGSJET-II model calculations show that the criteria based on the shape of the transverse distribution of Cherenkov light allow detection of more than 10% of proton events and rejection of 99% nuclear events.     

Energy spectrum and anisotropy of cosmic rays with <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis><Subscript>0</Subscript>≥10<Superscript>17</Superscript> eV from Yakutsk EAS array data

Data from the Yakutsk extensive air shower array for the period 1974–2004 are used to analyze the energy spectrum and anisotropy of primary cosmic rays (PCRs) with energy E₀≥10¹⁷ eV. The spectra from different regions of the sky are shown to differ in shape. Enhanced and reduced particle fluxes come from the disks of the Galaxy and the Supergalaxy (the Local Supercluster of galaxies) at E₀≥5×10¹⁸ eV and E₀≤ (2?3)×10¹⁸ eV, respectively. This is interpreted as a manifestation of the possible interaction between extragalactic PCRs and the matter of these spatial structures.     

Distant metagalactic sources of very high energy γ rays: 1739 + 522 and 3c454.3

Sources with red shifts from z = 0.0179 to 1.375 have been observed with the SHALON telescope. Fluxes, spectral energy distributions, integrated spectra, and images of new (in the TeV energy range) distant sources—flat-spectrum radio quasars 1739 + 522 and 3c454.3—are reported. It is shown that the energy spectrum of metagalactic sources (Mkn421 and Mkn501 quasars) in the energy range 10¹²–10¹³ eV in the power-law representation differs from the spectrum of 1739 + 522 and 3c454.4 distant quasars, which do not contradict the unified energy spectrum F(>E) ～ E _γ ^?1.26±0.15 .     

Inclusive neutral-pion production in <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>C and <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>Cu interactions at a momentum of 4.5 GeV/. per nucleon

The cross sections for inclusive neutral-pion production in the reactions d + C → π⁰ + x and d + Cu → π⁰ + x at a momentum of 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon were measured over the kinematical region specified by the inequalities Θ_π≤16° and E_π≥2 GeV (in the laboratory frame). From the ratio of the cross sections for neutral-pion generation on carbon and copper nuclei, the exponent n in the parametrization Ed³σ/d³p ～ A _T ⁿ is obtained as a function of the cumulative number X in the range 0.6 ≤ X ≤ 1.8 and as a function of the square of the transverse momentum in the range 0.04 ≤ P _t ² ≤ 0.40 (GeV/c)². The probabilities of the formation of six-quark configurations in the D, ⁴He, and ¹²C nuclei are estimated. The double-differential cross section for the reaction d + C → π⁰ + x is determined for the first time by using a data sample containing more than 40 000 neutral pions.     

Charge transfer over localized states in a TlS single crystal

It is revealed that TlS single crystals exhibit a variable range hopping conduction along a normal to their natural layers at temperatures T ≤ 230 K in a dc electric field and a nonactivated hopping conduction at low temperatures in strong electric fields. Estimates are made for the density of states near the Fermi level (N _F = 2.8 × 10²⁰ eV^?1 cm^?3 and their energy spread (ΔW = 0.02 eV), the localization radius (a = 33 Å), the average jump distance in the region of activated (R _av(T) = 40 Å) and nonactivated (R _av(F) = 78 Å) hopping conduction, and also the drop in the charge carrier potential energy along the jump distance in an electric field F: eFR = 0.006 and 0.009 eV at F = 7.50 × 10³ and 1.25 × 10⁴ V/cm, respectively.     

Growth of (GaAs)<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>(ZnSe)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> solid solution films and investigation of their structural and some photoelectric properties

Single-crystal films of the substitutional solid solution (GaAs)_{1 ? x} (ZnSe) _x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.80) on GaAs substrates have been grown using liquid phase epitaxy. The X-ray diffraction patterns, photoluminescence spectra, and current-voltage characteristics of the n-(GaAs)-p-(GaAs)_{1 ? x} (ZnSe) _x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.80) heterostructures prepared have been investigated. The lattice parameters of the film a _f = 5.6544 Å and the substrate a _s = 5.6465 Å have been determined, and the profile of the molecular distribution of the solid solution components has been obtained. The photoluminescence spectrum of the (GaAs)_{1 ? x} (ZnSe) _x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.80) films exhibits a narrow peak (against the background of the broad luminescence band) with a maximum in the luminescence intensity at a photon energy of 2.67 eV due to the presence of Zn-Se bonds in the structure (ZnSe is covalently bonded to the tetrahedral lattice of the GaAs matrix). It has been shown that the direct branch of the current-voltage characteristics of the structures under investigation is described by an exponential dependence I = I ₀exp(qV/ckT) at low voltages (V > 0.3 V) and by a power-law dependence I ～ V ^α with exponents α = 4 at V = 0.4–0.8 V, α = 2 at V = 0.8–1.4 V, and α = 1.5 at V > 2 V. The experimental results have been explained in the framework of the double-injection model for the n-p-p ⁺ structure under the condition that the concentration distribution of nonequilibrium charge carriers has a minimum.     

Crystal structure and magnetic susceptibility of (CuInSe<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>(2MnSe)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>

The crystal structure of samples in the (CuInSe₂)_{1 ? x} (2MnSe) _x system at room temperature and their magnetic susceptibility in the temperature range 77–1000 K are investigated. It is established that compositions with concentrations 0≤ x ≤ 0.2 form solid solutions with a tetragonal structure, space group I \(\bar 4\)2d (122). The specific magnetic susceptibility χ of samples with 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.4 at 77 K lies in the range 9 × 10^?4?1.6 × 10^t-3cm³/g. The temperature dependence of the inverse magnetic susceptibility of the sample with x = 0.4 suggests the presence of a component with antiferromagnetic ordering and a reliably measured Néel temperature that is characteristic of MnSe. The dependences χ = f(T) of the compositions with x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 indicate the occurrence of magnetic phase transitions with a change in the spin state.     

Lorentz Invariance Violation: Modification of the Compton Scattering and the GZK Cutoff and Other Effects

This paper deals with the violation of Lorentz symmetry. The approach is based on Compton scattering which becomes modified due to a modified dispersion relation arising from a minimum spacetime cut off as in modern Quantum Gravity approaches. With this amendment, we find that two high-energy rays of different energies develop a time-lag. This time separation becomes prominent when the energies of the considered photons is ≥ 1GeV. Extending our approach to gamma rays of cosmic origin we predict that they undergo innumerable such scattering processes before reaching us. Therefore, it accounts for the time-lag phenomena of gamma ray bursts (GRB)’s which have been claimed to be observed. Also, we find that resorting to the modified Snyder-Sidharth Hamiltonian it is possible to extend the GZK cut off beyond its normal limit, 10²⁰ eV. Some observations of ultra high energy cosmic rays support this. This extends the limits of special theory of relativity.     

Verzweigungsverhältnisse und Konversionskoeffizienten von angeregten Zuständen des208Tl

The branching ratios of theγ rays of the second and fourth excited states of²⁰⁸Tl have been investigated by coincidence measurements between the α rays of²¹²Bi and subsequent 40keVγ ray. The detectors employed were a silicon surface barrier counter for α particles, and a 1.5 in ×2 mm NaJ (Tl) crystal forγ rays. It has been found that (75.6±3.7)% of all transitions of the 328 keV state and (94±7)% of all transitions of the (492 keV+473 keV) states populate the first excited state of²⁰⁸Tl. The 40 keV state is excited to (3.4±0.3)% by transitions of higher excited states relative to the direct excitation by α particles. The number of α particles with energyE _α = 6.047 MeV and the number of subsequent 40keVγ rays resulted in a conversion coefficient α(40keV)=22.55± 0.46. Similarly coincidence measurements between Tl-x rays and α particles have been used to determine theK- conversion coefficients α_K(328 keV)=0.31±0.03 and α_K(492 keV+ 473keV)=0.100±0.015. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical values ofSliv.     

Radio emission of extensive air showers as a method for detecting ultra-high energy cosmic rays

Recording radio emission from extensive air showers (EASs) is considered now as a new promising method for detecting ultra-high energy (E ₀ > 5 × 10¹⁶ eV) cosmic rays. The results of calculation of EAS radio emission at frequencies from 40 to 80 MHz in the EAS energy range E ₀ = 10¹⁴–10¹⁷ eV are reported here, and the possibilities of determining EAS parameters from the radio emission lateral distribution are discussed.     

Constraints on the central density and chemical composition of the white dwarf RX J0648.0-4418 with a record period of rotation in a model with the equation of state of an ideal degenerate electron gas

A system of equations and inequalities that allows one to determine the constraints on central density ρ _c and the chemical composition, which is governed by parameter μ _e , of the white dwarf RX J0648.0- 4418 with a record short period of rotation T = 13.18s and mass m = (1.28 ± 0.05)m⊙, has been derived. The analysis of numerical solutions of this system reveal a complex dependence of μ _e on ρ _c . The intervals of variation of μ _e and ρ _c are as follows: 1.09 ≤ μ _e ≤ 1.21 and 9.04 ≤ μ _e /ρ₀ ≤ 10³ (ρ₀ = 0.98 × 10⁶ g/cm³). This range of μ _e values suggests that the white dwarf RX J0648.0-4418 is not made of pure hydrogen and should contain 9–21% of heavy elements. Calculations have been performed with the equation of state of an ideal degenerate electron gas. Approximate analytic expressions (with an accuracy of 10^-3) for the minimum period T _min and mass m of the white dwarf are obtained. It is demonstrated that the white-dwarf mass is almost doubled (compared to the case of no rotation at a fixed central density) as period T approaches T _min.     

Dislocation mobility in C<Subscript>60</Subscript> fullerite crystals

The dependences of the path of leading dislocations in indentation rosette rays on the load, the loading time, and the indentation temperature in the range 260 < T ≤ 373 K were studied for C₆₀ fullerite crystals. The dislocation mobility parameters are estimated: the exponent m characterizing the stress dependence of the dislocation velocity depends on the structural perfection of the crystal and ranges from 2.3 to 24.5, the activation energy for dislocation motion ΔH ₀ ? (0.4–0.5) eV, and the velocity of leading dislocations in indentation rosette rays v _l ? 10^?5?10^?4 cm/s. The data from micro-and macromechanical experiments are shown to agree with each other. The dislocation mobility is assumed to be controlled by the dislocation interaction with local barriers.     

Investigation of excitation of Ag atoms in internal conversion of γ rays

Excitation of Ag atoms in the internal conversion of γ rays due to the E3 transition in ^109m Ag has been measured on an anti-Compton spectrometer and a multidimensional-coincidence spectrometer with GeSi(Li) detectors. The probability of double ionization of the K shell is determined to be P _KK =(2.5 ± 0.2) × 10^?4. It is shown that the direct process is dominant in excitation of Ag atoms.