On the metastability of the cosmic-ray Centauro quark-matter fireball

The arrival directions of extremely high energy cosmic rays (EHECR) above 4 X 10^19 eV, observed by four surface array experiments in the northern hemisphere, are examined for coincidences from similar directions in the sky. The total number of cosmic rays is 92. A significant number of double coincidences (doublet) and triple coincidences (triplet) is observed on the supergalactic plane within the experimental angular resolution. The chance probability of such multiplets from a uniform distribution is less than 1% if we consider a restricted region within + 10° of the supergalactic plane. Though there is still a possibility of chance coincidence, the present results on small angle clustering along the supergalactic plane may be important in interpreting EHECR enigma. An independent set of data is required to check our claims. ©2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.