Precise measurements of the cosmic ray proton energy spectrum in the “knee” region

2

Issued Date

2025-01-01

Resource Type

Article

ISSN

20959273

eISSN

20959281

DOI

10.1016/j.scib.2025.10.048

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105023520091

Journal Title

Science Bulletin

Rights Holder(s)

SCOPUS

Bibliographic Citation

Science Bulletin (2025)

Suggested Citation

Cao Z., Aharonian F., Bai Y.X., Bao Y.W., Bastieri D., Bi X.J., Bi Y.J., Bian W., Bukevich A.V., Cai C.M., Cao W.Y., Cao Z., Chang J., Chang J.F., Chen A.M., Chen E.S., Chen G.H., Chen H.X., Chen L., Chen L., Chen M.J., Chen M.L., Chen Q.H., Chen S., Chen S.H., Chen S.Z., Chen T.L., Chen X.B., Chen X.J., Chen Y., Cheng N., Cheng Y.D., Chu M.C., Cui M.Y., Cui S.W., Cui X.H., Cui Y.D., Dai B.Z., Dai H.L., Dai Z.G., Danzengluobu, Diao Y.X., Dong X.Q., Duan K.K., Fan J.H., Fan Y.Z., Fang J., Fang J.H., Fang K., Feng C.F., Feng H., Feng L., Feng S.H., Feng X.T., Feng Y., Feng Y.L., Gabici S., Gao B., Gao C.D., Gao Q., Gao W., Gao W.K., Ge M.M., Ge T.T., Geng L.S., Giacinti G., Gong G.H., Gou Q.B., Gu M.H., Guo F.L., Guo J., Guo X.L., Guo Y.Q., Guo Y.Y., Han Y.A., Hannuksela O.A., Hasan M., He H.H., He H.N., He J.Y., He X.Y., He Y., Hernández-Cadena S., Hou B.W., Hou C., Hou X., Hu H.B., Hu S.C., Huang C., Huang D.H., Huang J.J., Huang T.Q., Huang W.J., Huang X.T., Huang X.Y., Huang Y., Huang Y.Y., Ji X.L., Jia H.Y., Jia K. Precise measurements of the cosmic ray proton energy spectrum in the “knee” region. Science Bulletin (2025). doi:10.1016/j.scib.2025.10.048 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/113435

Title

Precise measurements of the cosmic ray proton energy spectrum in the “knee” region

Author(s)

Cao Z.
 Aharonian F.
 Bai Y.X.
 Bao Y.W.
 Bastieri D.
 Bi X.J.
 Bi Y.J.
 Bian W.
 Bukevich A.V.
 Cai C.M.
 Cao W.Y.
 Cao Z.
 Chang J.
 Chang J.F.
 Chen A.M.
 Chen E.S.
 Chen G.H.
 Chen H.X.
 Chen L.
 Chen L.
 Chen M.J.
 Chen M.L.
 Chen Q.H.
 Chen S.
 Chen S.H.
 Chen S.Z.
 Chen T.L.
 Chen X.B.
 Chen X.J.
 Chen Y.
 Cheng N.
 Cheng Y.D.
 Chu M.C.
 Cui M.Y.
 Cui S.W.
 Cui X.H.
 Cui Y.D.
 Dai B.Z.
 Dai H.L.
 Dai Z.G.
 Danzengluobu
 Diao Y.X.
 Dong X.Q.
 Duan K.K.
 Fan J.H.
 Fan Y.Z.
 Fang J.
 Fang J.H.
 Fang K.
 Feng C.F.
 Feng H.
 Feng L.
 Feng S.H.
 Feng X.T.
 Feng Y.
 Feng Y.L.
 Gabici S.
 Gao B.
 Gao C.D.
 Gao Q.
 Gao W.
 Gao W.K.
 Ge M.M.
 Ge T.T.
 Geng L.S.
 Giacinti G.
 Gong G.H.
 Gou Q.B.
 Gu M.H.
 Guo F.L.
 Guo J.
 Guo X.L.
 Guo Y.Q.
 Guo Y.Y.
 Han Y.A.
 Hannuksela O.A.
 Hasan M.
 He H.H.
 He H.N.
 He J.Y.
 He X.Y.
 He Y.
 Hernández-Cadena S.
 Hou B.W.
 Hou C.
 Hou X.
 Hu H.B.
 Hu S.C.
 Huang C.
 Huang D.H.
 Huang J.J.
 Huang T.Q.
 Huang W.J.
 Huang X.T.
 Huang X.Y.
 Huang Y.
 Huang Y.Y.
 Ji X.L.
 Jia H.Y.
 Jia K.

Author's Affiliation

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
 Tsinghua University
 Shanghai Jiao Tong University
 Sun Yat-Sen University
 Université Paris Cité
 University of Science and Technology of China
 Shandong University
 Nanjing University
 Chinese University of Hong Kong
 Zhengzhou University
 Southwest Jiaotong University
 Yunnan University
 Guangzhou University
 Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
 National Astronomical Observatories Chinese Academy of Sciences
 Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
 Hebei Normal University
 Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
 Yerevan State University
 China Center of Advanced Science and Technology World Laboratory
 Zhejiang Lab
 Purple Mountain Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
 Shanghai Astronomical Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
 Yunnan Observatories
 Tibet University
 TIANFU Cosmic Ray Research Center

Corresponding Author(s)

Cao Z.

Other Contributor(s)

Mahidol University

Abstract

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.

Keyword(s)

Multidisciplinary

Availability

URI

https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/113435

Collections

Scopus 2025