Cosmic Rays and Particle Physics

Over recent years there has been marked growth in interest in the study of techniques of cosmic ray physics by astrophysicists and particle physicists. Cosmic radiation is important for the astrophysicist because of the information it can yield about astrophysical processes in the farther reaches of the universe. For particle physicists, it provides the opportunity to study neutrinos and very high energy particles of galactic origin. More importantly, cosmic rays constitute the background, and in some cases possibly the signal, for the more exotic, unconfirmed hypothesized particles, such as monopoles and sparticles. Concentrating on the highest energy cosmic rays, this book describes from where they originate, how they acquire energy, and how they interact in accreting neutron stars, supernova remnants, and large-scale shock waves. It also describes their interactions with the atmosphere and the earth and how they are studied by surface and very large underground detectors.