Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Interaction of relativistic dust grains with the solar radiation field
AU - McBreen, B.
AU - Plunkett, S.
AU - Lambert, Colin
PY - 1993/7
Y1 - 1993/7
N2 - The effects of the solar radiation field on the propagation of relativistic dust grains are evaluated. It is concluded that relativistic iron grains with energies almost-equal-to 10(19) eV will melt in the solar radiation field before they reach the Earth's orbit around the Sun. However iron grains with lower energies will reach the Earth's orbit but grains travelling from the direction of the Sun will melt. This directional anisotropy or fingerprint may be used to search for relativistic dust grains in the primary cosmic rays. The tact that no significant solar system anisotropy has been detected places constraints on the hypothesis that the initiating particles of the extensive air showers are relativistic iron grains.
AB - The effects of the solar radiation field on the propagation of relativistic dust grains are evaluated. It is concluded that relativistic iron grains with energies almost-equal-to 10(19) eV will melt in the solar radiation field before they reach the Earth's orbit around the Sun. However iron grains with lower energies will reach the Earth's orbit but grains travelling from the direction of the Sun will melt. This directional anisotropy or fingerprint may be used to search for relativistic dust grains in the primary cosmic rays. The tact that no significant solar system anisotropy has been detected places constraints on the hypothesis that the initiating particles of the extensive air showers are relativistic iron grains.
U2 - 10.1007/BF00658976
DO - 10.1007/BF00658976
M3 - Journal article
VL - 205
SP - 355
EP - 358
JO - Astrophysics and Space Science
JF - Astrophysics and Space Science
SN - 0004-640X
IS - 2
ER -