On the possible generation of cosmic rays in plasma pinches

The possibility of generating galactic cosmic rays in cosmic plasma cylindrical pinches is discussed for the case where there is an increase in constriction perturbations from which streams of plasma are squeezed. It is shown that when the constrictions break away, an energy distribution function for accelerated particles is formed in the stream with the form $dN/dE = CE^{-v}$, where $v$ = 1 + $\sqrt{3}$ = 2.732. This actually coincides with the average value observed in the 10$^{10}$–10$^{15}$ eV energy range of $v_0$ = 2.74 (see Ref. 9), which makes this hypothesis very plausible. At higher energies the observed exponent of the spectrum is approximately equal to $v_0$ = 3.1, and here, apparently, another “electrodynamic” acceleration mechanism is operating, which also is accompanied by a break in current in the pinch. The model of the “plasma universe” proposed by Alfven predicts the presence of a number of pinches in space.