Cosmic Ray Physics

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current experimental status of cosmic ray physics, discussing longstanding open questions about sources, acceleration, propagation, and composition across a wide energy spectrum.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the experimental techniques and findings in cosmic ray research, highlighting unresolved issues and recent progress.

Findings

Cosmic ray sources and acceleration mechanisms remain largely unknown.

Experimental techniques vary across energy ranges due to flux differences.

Recent measurements have advanced understanding but many questions persist.

Abstract

Cosmic ray story begins at the beginning of XX century. More then 100 years later, most of the main issues are still open questions, as sources, acceleration mechanism, propagation and composition. There is a continuing fascination with the studies of cosmic radiation mostly from the several contradictions connected to its observation. The radiation has an energy spectrum ranging from $\sim$ 1 GeV to beyond 10$^{20}$ eV with a flux going from 1 particle per m$^2$ per $\mu$s to less then 1 particle per km$^2$ per century, and so very different experimental techniques are needed to perform cosmic ray measurements in the different energy intervals. In this contribution the actual experimental status of cosmic ray knowledge will be reviewed.