Production of Atomic Rays and of Cosmic Rays in Supernovae

Abstract

A. Supernovae. - Several years ago, Baade and I made the following suggestions [1]: (1) A class of very rare temporary stars exists, some of whose major physical properties are similar to those of common novae, but in a superlative degree. We proposed that the new stars might appropriately be called supernovae. (2) Supernovae are an origin of the cosmic rays. Our first problem obviously was to locate as many active supernovae as possible in order to prove the correctness of assertion (1). Through the discovery of nine supernovae [2] with the Schmidt Telescope on Palomar Mountain, the solution of this problem has now reached a stage of completeness which is sufficient to allow us to turn our attention to assertion (2). We therefore proceed to outline some of the general processes which presumably take place in supernovae and which are capable of producing cosmic rays as well as atomic rays of high energy.