On the Analysis of Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays

Abstract

In this paper we analyse the energy content of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), and compare this to the experimental result of the energy recorded of the “Oh-my-God” particle in Utah, October 1991, and, using classical Newtonian mechanics, we approximate a value for the velocity of the particle. Given the relativistic velocity of the particle, we use Special Relativity (S. R.) to explain to what extent time dilation affected the particle, and we investigate how it was possible for the proton's energy to tend towards the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) limit. Furthermore, we investigate the possibility of this occurrence being a hint towards the multi-dimensional Universe suggestions of M-theory, due to its velocities which are simply too high for an Einsteinian four-dimensional spacetime.

Keywords:

• ultra-high-energy cosmic rays
• special relativity
• cosmology
• M-theory