‘Excess’ of primary cosmic ray electrons

With the accurate cosmic ray (CR) electron and positron spectra (denoted as Φe− and Φe+, respectively) measured by AMS-02 Collaboration, the difference between the electron and positron fluxes (i.e., ΔΦ=Φe−−Φe+), dominated by the propagated primary electrons, can be reliably inferred. In the standard model, the spectrum of propagated primary CR electrons at energies ≥30GeV softens with the increase of energy. The absence of any evidence for such a continuous spectral softening in ΔΦ strongly suggests a significant ‘excess’ of primary CR electrons and at energies of 100–400GeV the identified excess component has a flux comparable to that of the observed positron excess. Middle-age but ‘nearby’ supernova remnants (e.g., Monogem and Geminga) are favored sources for such an excess.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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