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Title: Measurement of Separate Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Abstract

We measured separate cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Because the instrument does not have an onboard magnet, we distinguish the two species by exploiting the Earth’s shadow, which is offset in opposite directions for opposite charges due to the Earth’s magnetic field. We estimate and subtract the cosmic-ray proton background using two different methods that produce consistent results. We report the electron-only spectrum, the positron-only spectrum, and the positron fraction between 20 GeV and 200 GeV. We confirm that the fraction rises with energy in the 20–100 GeV range. The three new spectral points between 100 and 200 GeV are consistent with a fraction that is continuing to rise with energy.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); et al.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
Contributing Org.:
Fermi LAT Collaboration
OSTI Identifier:
1356772
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1098536
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-76SF00515
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 108; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

Citation Formats

Ackermann, M. Measurement of Separate Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.011103.
Ackermann, M. Measurement of Separate Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.011103
Ackermann, M. Thu . "Measurement of Separate Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.011103. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1356772.
@article{osti_1356772,
title = {Measurement of Separate Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope},
author = {Ackermann, M.},
abstractNote = {We measured separate cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Because the instrument does not have an onboard magnet, we distinguish the two species by exploiting the Earth’s shadow, which is offset in opposite directions for opposite charges due to the Earth’s magnetic field. We estimate and subtract the cosmic-ray proton background using two different methods that produce consistent results. We report the electron-only spectrum, the positron-only spectrum, and the positron fraction between 20 GeV and 200 GeV. We confirm that the fraction rises with energy in the 20–100 GeV range. The three new spectral points between 100 and 200 GeV are consistent with a fraction that is continuing to rise with energy.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.011103},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 1,
volume = 108,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 05 00:00:00 EST 2012},
month = {Thu Jan 05 00:00:00 EST 2012}
}

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