Speaker
Description
Although cosmic rays were first detected over 100 years ago, we still don’t understand their sources and the physical processes that can create such extreme energies. Particularly interesting is the question of which cosmic-rays originate from our galaxy, and which ones from extragalactic sources. Particles in this so-called “transition region” can tell us about the most extreme astrophysics in our region of the cosmos. Cosmic rays at these energies must be detected indirectly, via the particle cascades called “air showers” that are induced when primary cosmic rays interact in the atmosphere. These air showers emit a sharp pulse of radio light. In the last decade, it has been demonstrated that radio telescopes make excellent instruments with which to detect this emission. In particular, radio measurements of cosmic rays at LOFAR helped bring this technique into maturity. Now, we are embarking on the next generation of radio observations with the SKA telescope. In this talk, I will give an overview of the field, the current status, and discuss prospects for what we will be able to do in the next decade.
| What is your career stage? | Tenured scientist |
|---|---|
| Which telescopes do you use / are you affiliated with? | LOFAR, SKA |
