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Properties of Cosmic Lithium Isotopes Measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
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We present the first measurement of cosmic-ray fluxes of Li 6 and Li 7 isotopes in the rigidity range from 1.9 to 25 GV. The measurements are based on 9.7 × 10 5 Li 6 and 1.04 × 10 6 Li 7 nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station from May 2011 to October 2023. We observe that over the entire rigidity range the Li 6 and Li 7 fluxes exhibit nearly identical time variations and, above 4 GV , the time variations of Li 6 , Li 7 , He, Be, B, C, N, and O fluxes are identical. Above 7 GV , we find an identical rigidity dependence of the Li 6 and Li 7 fluxes. This shows that they are both produced by collisions of heavier cosmic-ray nuclei with the interstellar medium and, in particular, excludes the existence of a sizable primary component in the Li 7 flux.

Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
2567760
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 20 Vol. 134; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Publisher:
American Physical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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