We report the high-purity identification of cosmic-ray(CR)protons and a precise measurement of their energy spectrum from 0.15 to 12 PeV using the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory(LHAASO).Abundant event stat...We report the high-purity identification of cosmic-ray(CR)protons and a precise measurement of their energy spectrum from 0.15 to 12 PeV using the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory(LHAASO).Abundant event statistics,combined with the simultaneous detection of electrons/photons,muons,and Cherenkov light in air showers,enable spectroscopic measurements with statistical and systematic precision comparable to satellite data at lower energies.The proton spectrum shows significant hardening relative to low-energy extrapolations,culminating at 3 PeV,followed by sharp softening.This distinct spectral structure closely aligned with the knee in the all-particle spectrum points to the emergence of a new CR component at PeV energies that might be linked to the dozens of PeVatrons recently discovered by LHAASO,and offers crucial clues to the origin of Galactic cosmic rays.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2024YFA1611401,2024YFA1611402,2024YFA1611403,and 2024YFA1611404)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(12393851,12393852,12393853,12393854,12205314,12105301,12305120,12261160362,12105294,U1931201,12375107,12275280,12105293,11905240,12375106,and 12261141691)+3 种基金Innovation Project of IHEP(E25451U2)Sichuan Province Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars(2022JDJQ0043)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS YIPA)(2023019)the Institute of Plateau Meteorology,CMA Chengdu to maintain meteorological data,and Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency(NSTDA)and National Research Council of Thailand(NRCT)under the High-Potential Research Team Grant Program(N42A650868)。
文摘We report the high-purity identification of cosmic-ray(CR)protons and a precise measurement of their energy spectrum from 0.15 to 12 PeV using the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory(LHAASO).Abundant event statistics,combined with the simultaneous detection of electrons/photons,muons,and Cherenkov light in air showers,enable spectroscopic measurements with statistical and systematic precision comparable to satellite data at lower energies.The proton spectrum shows significant hardening relative to low-energy extrapolations,culminating at 3 PeV,followed by sharp softening.This distinct spectral structure closely aligned with the knee in the all-particle spectrum points to the emergence of a new CR component at PeV energies that might be linked to the dozens of PeVatrons recently discovered by LHAASO,and offers crucial clues to the origin of Galactic cosmic rays.
