Spectrum of cosmic electron with energies between 6 and 100 GeV

Technical Report · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:4179539

Meegan, C A; Earl, J A

This experiment was carried out during three balloon flights which provided a total exposure of 3500 + or - 60 sq m sec sterad at an average depth of 4.8 g/sq cm. The detector, in which the development of cascade showers in a 33.7 rl absorber was sampled by 10 scintillation counters and 216 Geiger-Muller tubes, was calibrated at the Cornell Electron Synchrotron, the separation of cosmic electrons from the nuclear background was confirmed by extensive analysis of data from the flights, from the calibration and from ground level exposure. The spectral intensity of primary cosmic ray electrons was found in particles/sq m sec sterad GeV. Similarly, the ground level spectrum of secondary cosmic ray electrons was also found. The steepness of the spectrum of cosmic electrons relative to that of nuclei implies one of the following conclusions: either the injection spectrum of electrons is steeper than that of nuclei, or the electron spectrum has been steepened by Compton/synchrotron losses in the energy range covered by the experiment. (auth)

• Research Organization: Maryland Univ., College Park (USA). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
• NSA Number: NSA-33-003709
• OSTI ID: 4179539
• Report Number(s): N--75-14701; NASA-CR--141287; TR--75-019
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*COSMIC ELECTRONS-- ENERGY SPECTRA
640101* --Physics Research--Astrophysics & Cosmology--Cosmic Radiation
GEV RANGE 01-10
GEV RANGE 10-100
N56100* --Physics (Astrophysics & Cosmology)--Cosmic Radiation
N58100 --Physics (Atmospheric)--Auroral & Ionospheric Phenomena
NUCLEI
PRIMARY COSMIC RADIATION
RADIATION DETECTION
SECONDARY COSMIC RADIATION