Cosmic-ray muon spectrum at sea level and the primary cosmic-ray nucleon spectrum

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5792555

Volkova, L V; Zatsepin, G T; Kuz'michev, L A

A theoretical study of the passage of cosmic-ray nucleons, pions, and kaons through the atmosphere is carried out on the basis of the inclusive cross sections for pion and kaon generation in pp and ..pi..p collisions obtained in accelerator experiments in a wide range of energies. The muon spectrum at sea level is calculated in the energy range 1--10/sup 5/ GeV (assuming that scaling is valid in the fragmentation region for x>0.1). The decay and nuclear interaction of pions and kaons, the regeneration of pions and kaons, the growth of the hadron-nucleus interaction cross section, and the decay and energy loss of muons were taken into account in the calculation. Comparison of the theoretical muon spectrum with experimental measurements at sea level leads to the conclusion that this picture of the passage of these cosmic-ray components through the atmosphere is consistent with the assumption that in the energy range 30--10/sup 5/ GeV the primary cosmic-ray nucleon spectrum can be described by the single formula AE/sup /sup -/(..gamma..+1)/ with ..gamma..=1.65.

• Research Organization: Institute of Nuclear Research, USSR Academy of Sciences
• OSTI ID: 5792555
• Journal Information: Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 29:5; ISSN SJNCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640101* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmic Radiation
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BARYONS
BOSONS
COSMIC KAONS
COSMIC MUONS
COSMIC PIONS
COSMIC PROTONS
COSMIC RADIATION
COSMIC RAY PROPAGATION
CROSS SECTIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY SPECTRA
FERMIONS
HADRONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
KAONS
LEPTONS
LEVELS
LOSSES
MESONS
MUONS
NUCLEONS
PIONS
PRIMARY COSMIC RADIATION
PROTONS
PSEUDOSCALAR MESONS
RADIATIONS
SEA LEVEL
SECONDARY COSMIC RADIATION
SPECTRA
STRANGE PARTICLES