PHYSICAL BASIS OF THE TRANSPORT AND COMPOSITION OF COSMIC RAYS IN THE GALAXY

Abstract

Consideration of cosmic-ray propagation leads naturally to an equilibrium model for cosmic-ray origin and storage in the galaxy. In this model the relative abundances of nuclei with substantially different charge values are nearly energy independent. We conclude that this simple, one-"component" model is consistent with observations of both the galactic primary (i.e., ${\mathrm{H}}^1$, ${\mathrm{He}}^4$, C, N, O, Fe) and secondary particles (${\mathrm{He}}^3$, Li, Be, B).