THE ROLE OF HYPERONS IN EXTENSIVE AIR SHOWERS AND OTHER HIGH ENERGY COSMIC RAY PHENOMENA

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · J. Phys. Soc. Japan

OSTI ID:4763089

Peters, B

Accelerator experiments on interactions produced by 25-Bev protons prove that between 0.2 and 0.6 hyperons must be produced per collision. From considerations of symmetry it follows that the particle which carries the largest fraction of the available energy away from the interaction is in 10--30% of the cases a hyperon rather than a nucleon. Information obtained from the study of highenergy cosmic-ray jets suggests strongly that the fraction of these hyperons increases further with energy, and that it probably amounts to 70% at a primary energy of 10/sup 4/ Bev. When the emerging hyperon decays, the decay pion receives a fraction of the hyperon energy which averages 16% for LAMBDA and 20% for SIGMA hyperons. From arguments presented, it is concluded that practically all gamma rays and charged pi and mu mesons of 10/sup 3/ Bev or more found in the atmosphere are produced by the hyperon process. The relations between this result and the energy spectrum of gamma rays, the charge excess of cosmic ray particles, and mu mesons observed underground are discussed. (A.G.W.)

• Research Organization: Univ. of Copenhagen
• NSA Number: NSA-17-013127
• OSTI ID: 4763089
• Journal Information: J. Phys. Soc. Japan, Journal Name: J. Phys. Soc. Japan Vol. Vol: 17: Suppl. A-III
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACCELERATORS
AIR
ATMOSPHERE
CHARGED PARTICLES
COSMIC RADIATION
DECAY
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ENERGY
ENERGY RANGE
GAMMA RADIATION
HYPERONS
INTERACTIONS
LAMBDA PARTICLES
MUONS
NUCLEONS
PHYSICS
PIONS
PRODUCTION
PROTONS
SCATTERING
SHOWERS
SIGMA PARTICLES
SPECTRA
SYMMETRY