Topological Defects and Highest Energy Cosmic and Gamma Rays
نویسنده
چکیده
In this paper we review the hypothesis that a substantial part of the cosmic ray ux observed above about 10 19 eV may be produced by decaying or annihilating topo-logical defects left over from phase transitions in the early universe at grand uniication energy scales (10 16 GeV). Possible signatures of cosmic ray producing defect models are discussed which could be tested experimentally in the near future. We thereby focus on model independent universal spectral properties of the predicted particle uxes.
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