Cosmic ray "anomaly'' in the positron fraction: from data to source identification
by
Pasquale Serpico(CERN)
→
Europe/Stockholm
FB54
FB54
Description
In the last year, the PAMELA space detector has suggested a puzzling increase with energy
of the positron fraction in cosmic rays. Other experiments, in particular Fermi,
have also provided new data on electrons that, when combined with PAMELA,
seem to defy the simplest astrophysical scenarios.
After an overview of the present status of these "anomalies", I'll describe some
models (both astrophysical and dark matter based) proposed in the literature to explain the data,
with an emphasis on the empirical ways to discriminate between alternative solutions.
