The mean mass of the abundant cosmic-ray nuclei from boron to silicon at 1.2 GeV per atomic mass unit

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (38) References (31) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS The mean mass of the abundant cosmic-ray nuclei from boron to silicon at 1.2 GeV per atomic mass unit. Dwyer, R. Abstract Results are presented for an investigation of cosmic-ray isotopic composition in which a balloon-borne instrument was used to perform an isotopic analysis of the abundant elements from B through Si in the energy range from 1.0 to 1.6 GeV/amu. The technique employed, which depends on the effect of earth's magnetic field on incoming cosmic rays, and reduction of the observational data are described in detail. Mean masses of the elements B, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, and Si are extracted from normalized Cerenkov spectra and evaluated in terms of the 'leaky box' model of galactic propagation and confinement. The implications of the results for cosmic-ray sources are shown to be consistent with the nucleosynthesis of certain isotopes in the cosmic rays in explosive carbon burning under the conditions of peak temperature, density, and neutronization expected in an explosion of a massive highly evolved star. The possibility of alternate interpretations is noted. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: September 1978 DOI: 10.1086/156417 Bibcode: 1978ApJ...224..691D Keywords: Abundance; Cosmic Rays; Heavy Nuclei; Isotope Effect; Nuclear Fusion; Balloon Sounding; Boron; Carbon; Cerenkov Radiation; Energy Methods; Nitrogen; Oxygen; Space Radiation; Cosmic Rays:Isotopic Abundances; Cosmic Rays: Nuclei full text sources ADS |