Charge equilibrium and radiation of low-energy cosmic rays passing through interstellar medium

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/157054· OSTI ID:6094533

Rule, D W; Omidvar, K

The charge equilibrium and radiation an oxygen and an iron beam in the MeV per nucleon energy range, representing a typical beam of low-energy cosmic rays passing through the interstellar medium, are considered. Electron loss of the beam has been taken into account by means of the first Born approximation allowing for the target atom to remain unexcited, or to be excited to all possible states. Electron-capture cross sections have been calculated by means of the scaled Oppenheimer-Brinkman-Kramers approximation, taking into account of atomic shells of the target atoms and capture into all excited states of the projectile. The capture and loss cross sections are found to be within 20%--30% of the existing experimental values for most of the cases considered. Radiation of the beam due to electron capture into the excited states of the ion, collisional excitation, and collisional inner-shell ionization, taking into account the fluorescence yield of the ions has been considered. Effective X-ray production cross sections and mutliplicities for the most energetic X-ray lines emitted by the Fe and O beams have been calculated, and error estimates made for the results.

• Research Organization: Stratosphere Physics and Chemistry Branch, Laboratory for Planetary Atmospheres, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 6094533
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 229:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC RADIATION
ION-ATOM COLLISIONS
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
IONIZATION
CHARGE EXCHANGE
COSMIC NUCLEI
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRON CAPTURE
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
IRON
OXYGEN
X RADIATION
ATOM COLLISIONS
CAPTURE
COLLISIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
ION COLLISIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
METALS
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
RADIATIONS
SPACE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
640101* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Cosmic Radiation