Cosmic Rays from the Knee to the Highest Energies

TL;DR

This review discusses recent progress in understanding high-energy cosmic rays from the knee to the highest energies, emphasizing observational data, interpretations, and the evolving global picture of cosmic ray origins and properties.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive synthesis of recent observational results and interpretations related to cosmic rays from 10^15 eV to over 10^20 eV, highlighting advances over the past decade.

Findings

Identification of spectral features around the knee and ankle.

Evidence supporting galactic and extragalactic origins of cosmic rays.

Insights into the composition and propagation of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.

Abstract

This review summarizes recent developments in the understanding of high-energy cosmic rays. It focuses on galactic and presumably extragalactic particles in the energy range from the knee (10^15 eV) up to the highest energies observed (>10^20 eV). Emphasis is put on observational results, their interpretation, and the global picture of cosmic rays that has emerged during the last decade.