Predictions and measurements of mass spectra of the charged nucleonic component of cosmic rays at mountain altitude

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Phys. Rev., D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.22.2667· OSTI ID:6879122

Barber, H B; Bowen, T; DeLise, D A; Jenkins, E W; Jones, J J; Kalbach, R M; Pifer, A E

A cosmic-ray mass spectrometer utilizing a superconducting magnet, digitized wire spark chambers, and time-of-flight scintillation counters has examined the mass spectrum of low-momentum charged particles at 2750-m altitude (747 g/cm/sup 2/). For the first time at mountain altitude, the deuteron spectrum has been clearly resolved. The proton results confirm earlier work. The data indicate the presence of a few /sup 4/He nuclei. Upper limits are given to fluxes of antiproton and hypothetical massive particles in the 5-to-10-GeV/c/sup 2/ range. The low-momentum deuteron spectrum, as well as the proton spectra at various atmospheric depths, can be well understood in terms of a cosmic-ray atmospheric cascade calculation. The deuterons are principally produced by N+N..-->..d+..pi.. and quasielastic nucleon scattering on n-p pairs within the nucleus. Calculations are also presented of the expected intensities of low-momentum antiprotons and hypothetical massive particles at mountain altitude.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
• OSTI ID: 6879122
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., D; (United States) Vol. 22:11; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640101* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmic Radiation
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
BARYON-BARYON INTERACTIONS
COSMIC NUCLEI
COSMIC RADIATION
DATA
DEUTERON SPECTRA
DIRECT REACTIONS
DISTRIBUTION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GAS TRACK DETECTORS
HADRON-HADRON INTERACTIONS
HELIUM 4
HELIUM ISOTOPES
INFORMATION
INTERACTIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS SPECTRA
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MULTIPLE SCATTERING
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEON-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
PROTON SPECTRA
QUASI-ELASTIC SCATTERING
QUASI-FREE REACTIONS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATIONS
SCATTERING
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SPARK CHAMBERS
SPECTRA
STABLE ISOTOPES
TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD