Light Elements and Cosmic Rays in the Early Galaxy

Abstract

We derive constraints on the cosmic rays responsible for the Be and part of the B observed in stars formed in the early Galaxy: the cosmic rays cannot be accelerated from the ISM; their energy spectrum must be relatively hard (the bulk of the nuclear reactions should occur at $>$30 MeV/nucl); and only 10${}^{49}$ erg/SNII in high metallicity, accelerated particle kinetic energy could suffice to produce the Be and B. The reverse SNII shock could accelerate the particles.

5 pages LATEX using paspconf.sty file with one embedded eps figure using psfig. In press, Proc. Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph Symposium, PASP, 1997