Neutron, photon and proton energy spectra at high altitude measured using a phoswich-type neutron detector

Abstract

Abstract Neutron energy spectrum from 7 to 180 MeV, photon energy spectrum from 4 to 50 MeV and proton energy spectrum from 94 to 145 MeV were measured simultaneously using a phoswich-type neutron detector with particle discrimination methods at atmospheric depth of 249 g/cm 2 , a vertical cut-off rigidity of 10.2 GV and at a heliocentric potential of 312 MV. We compared our results with other measured and calculated particle energy spectra. Our measured results give a large, sharp neutron peak around 70 MeV, although Bonner balls show a broad peak around 100 MeV due to low energy resolution. The measured photon and proton spectra are between the calculated energy spectra. This onboard study provides the first experimental neutron energy spectrum over 10 MeV with a high-energy resolution.