The Cosmic-Ray Spectra: News on their Knees

TL;DR

This paper discusses a model predicting cosmic ray spectral knees occur at energies proportional to particle mass, and recent data support this prediction, especially for electrons and nuclei.

Contribution

It validates a decade-old model predicting cosmic ray knees occur at energies proportional to mass, confirmed by recent high-energy electron and nucleus spectrum data.

Findings

Electron knee observed at predicted energy.

Spectral knees for nuclei match mass-based predictions.

Recent data corroborate the model's predictions.

Abstract

In a comprehensive model of Cosmic Rays (CRs) proposed a decade ago, the energies of the spectral "knees" of the various CR species were predicted to be proportional to mass, rather than charge. The model also predicts the knees to occur at an energy of two to four million times the particle's rest mass. Recent data allow one to verify this prediction, particularly for Fe and lighter-nuclei CRs. But the most stringent test involves the putative knee in the CR electron spectrum, since the mass ratio of electrons to protons (and nuclei) is so very different from their charge ratio(s). Very recent results on the spectra of positrons and electrons at the highest measured energies corroborate the existence of an electron knee, with the expected shape and at the predicted energy.