Discovery of Localized Regions of Excess 10-TeV Cosmic Rays

Authors :: Abdo, A. A.
Allen, B.
Aune, T.
Berley, D.
Blaufuss, E.
Casanova, S.
Chen, C.
Dingus, B. L.
Ellsworth, R. W.
Fleysher, L.
Fleysher, R.
Gonzales, M. M.
Goodman, J. A.
Hoffman, C. M.
Hüntemeyer, P. H.
Kolterman, B. E.
Lansdell, C. P.
Linnemann, J. T.
McEnery, J. E.
Mincer, A. I.
Nemethy, P.
Noyes, D.
Pretz, J.
Ryan, J. M.
Parkinson, P. M. Saz
Shoup, A.
Sinnis, G.
Smith, A. J.
Sullivan, G. W.
Vasileiou, V.
Walker, G. P.
Williams, D. A.
Yodh, G. B.
Source :: Phys.Rev.Lett.101:221101,2008
Publication Year :: 2008
Abstract: An analysis of 7 years of Milagro data performed on a 10-degree angular scale has found two localized regions of excess of unknown origin with greater than 12 sigma significance. Both regions are inconsistent with gamma-ray emission with high confidence. One of the regions has a different energy spectrum than the isotropic cosmic-ray flux at a level of 4.6 sigma, and it is consistent with hard spectrum protons with an exponential cutoff, with the most significant excess at ~10 TeV. Potential causes of these excesses are explored, but no compelling explanations are found.<br />Comment: Submitted to PhysRevLett

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