Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Anisotropy of cosmic radiation in the Galaxy

Abstract

ONE of the most interesting features of high energy cosmic radiation is its striking isotropy. A large degree of isotropy would be an obvious consequence of an extragalactic origin for cosmic rays, but there are some difficulties in interpreting it in terms of a galactic origin. Although there are theoretical arguments in favour of the latter, the existence of cosmic-ray anisotropy in the Galaxy has not yet been proved experimentally. Here we report a measurement, point M in Fig. 1, which proves the existence of an anisotropy in galactic cosmic radiation. It was detected by examining extensive air showers produced by cosmic-ray primaries of energies 6 × 1013 eV (which are certainly not affected by solar modulation).

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Speller, R., Thambyahpillai, T., and Elliot, H., Nature, 235, 25–29 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Efimov, N. N., Krasilnikov, D. D., Nikolskii, S. I., and Shamsutdinova, F. K., Can J. Phys., 46, S84–86 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Escobar, I., Nerurkar, N., and Weil, R., Planet. Space Sci., 1, 155–60 (1959).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jacklyn, R. M., ANARE Sci. Rep., No. 114 (1970).

  5. Delvaille, J., Kendziorski, F., and Greisen, K., J. phys. Soc. Jap., 17, Suppl. III, 76–83 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Daudin, J., et al., Nuovo Cim., 3 1017–32 (1956).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cachon, A., VIth Interamerican Seminar on Cosmic Rays, 2, 39–42 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

GOMBOSI, T., KOTA, J., SOMOGYI, A. et al. Anisotropy of cosmic radiation in the Galaxy. Nature 255, 687–689 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/255687a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/255687a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing