Integral spectrum of primary CR

Integral spectrum:

12

14

16

18

20

Log E (eV)

Log N(>E)

m-2 s-1 ster-1

0

-4

-8

-12

-16

N(>E) is number of particles with energy > E.

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At higher energies, it is only practical to measure the total energy of particles. The integral spectrum of primary cosmic rays is shown above. It cannot be described by a single power-law, but instead a power-law broken at two or three places, 1e15eV and possibly 1e18 eV (but here the data are uncertain). (see Longair, p294).