The Primary Cosmic Radiation

Abstract

A more detailed presentation of the nature of the primary cosmic radiation is reported in this chapter. The all-particle energy spectrum of the primary radiation, which extends over a huge number of orders of magnitude, both in energy and in intensity, is commented, together with the most recent findings from modern experiments, up to the still open problem of the highest energy part of the spectrum and the possible existence of an energy cutoff. The composition of the hadronic component and the abundance of light nuclei in the primary radiation, as compared with the natural abundance of elements in the solar system is discussed. A detailed presentation is also made of the electron/positron and of the gamma components, as well as a discussion of the intensity of the primary radiation at different heights in the Earth atmosphere.