Measurement of the Cosmic Ray e+ plus e- Spectrum from 20 GeV to 1 TeV with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Journal Article · Mon May 14 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Physical Review Letters

OSTI ID:1046393

Abdo, Aous A; Ackermann, M; Ajello, M; Atwood, W B; Axelsson, M; Baldini, L; Ballet, J; Barbiellini, Guido; Bastieri, Denis; Battelino, M; Baughman, B M; Bechtol, K; Bellazzini, R; Berenji, B; Blandford, R D; Bloom, Elliott D; Bogaert, G; Bonamente, E; Borgland, A W; Bregeon, J ; Brez, A

Designed as a high-sensitivity gamma-ray observatory, the Fermi Large Area Telescope is also an electron detector with a large acceptance exceeding 2 m{sup 2}sr at 300 GeV. Building on the gamma-ray analysis, we have developed an efficient electron detection strategy which provides sufficient background rejection for measurement of the steeply-falling electron spectrum up to 1 TeV. Our high precision data show that the electron spectrum falls with energy as E{sup -3.0} and does not exhibit prominent spectral features. Interpretations in terms of a conventional diffusive model as well as a potential local extra component are briefly discussed.

• Research Organization: SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76SF00515
• OSTI ID: 1046393
• Report Number(s): SLAC-PUB-13633; PRLTAO; arXiv:0905.0025; TRN: US201215%%312
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 102, Issue 18; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ACCURACY
ELECTRON DETECTION
ELECTRONS
TELESCOPES
Astrophysics
Experiment-HEP
Phenomenology-HEP
ASTRO
HEPEX
HEPPH