Does a component of high energy cosmic rays initiate anomalous dynamics in air showers?

We consider the possibility for a correlated explanation of two recently accentuated, unusual empirical results concerning cosmic-ray events at high energies. A general prediction which follows is that the highest-energy air showers (∼1020 eV) must be initiated by primary interactions which exhibit anomalous dynamics at large transverse momenta of produced particles, like is seen in some events at lower energies in photo-emulsion chambers at high altitudes.