Cosmic Gamma-ray Flux Research Articles

Neural networks for separation of cosmic gamma rays and hadronic cosmic rays in air shower observation with a large area surface detector array

The Tibet ASγ experiment has been observing cosmic gamma rays and cosmic rays in the energy range from teraelectron volts to several tens of petaelectron volts with a surface detector array since 1990. The derivation of cosmic gamma-ray flux is made by finding the excess distribution of the arrival direction of air showers above background cosmic rays. In 2014, the underground water Cherenkov muon detector (MD) was added to separate cosmic gamma rays from the background on the basis of the muon-less feature of the air showers of gamma-ray origin; hybrid observations using these two detectors were started at this time. In the present study, we developed methods to separate gamma-ray-induced air showers and hadronic cosmic-ray-induced ones using the measured particle number density distribution to improve the sensitivity of cosmic gamma-ray measurements using the Tibet air shower array data alone before the installation of the MD. We tested two approaches based on neural networks. The first method used feature values representing the lateral spread of the secondary particles, and the second method used the shower image data. To compare the separation performance of each method, we analyzed Monte Carlo air shower events in the vertically incident direction with mono-initial-energy gamma rays and protons. When discriminated by a single feature, the feature with the highest separation performance has an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.701 for a gamma-ray energy of 10 TeV and 0.808 for 100 TeV. A separation method with a multilayer perceptron (MLP) based on multiple features has AUC values of 0.761 for a gamma-ray energy of 10 TeV and 0.854 for 100 TeV, which represents an improvement of approximately 5% in the AUC value compared with the single-feature case. We also found that the feature values that effectively contribute to the separation vary depending on the energy. A separation method with a convolutional neural network (CNN) using the shower image data has AUC values of 0.781 for a gamma-ray energy of 10 TeV and 0.901 for 100 TeV, which are approximately 5% higher than those of the MLP method. We applied the CNN separation method to Monte Carlo gamma-ray and cosmic-ray events from the Crab Nebula in the energy range 10–100 TeV. The AUC values range from 0.753 to 0.879, and the significance of the observed gamma-ray excess is improved by 1.3 to 1.8 times compared with the case without the separation procedure.

A study of the secondary cosmic $\gamma $-ray flux in India during the Great American solar eclipse on 21st August 2017

We present the results from the measurement of secondary cosmic gamma-ray flux using a NaI(Tl) scintillator detector during a total solar eclipse. The unique feature of this experiment is that it was carried out at a place where the solar eclipse was not observable. The total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, was visible in most of the regions of North America during the day, whereas India, falling on the other half of the globe missed this particular eclipse. Our aim was to measure and examine if there are any variations in the secondary cosmic ray (SCR) flux at Kolkata, India due to the occurrence of the eclipse in America. Detailed experimental techniques used for this experiment are mentioned in this article. Method of data analysis and results are presented. We observe unexpected dehancement and enhancement of SCR flux in certain energy regions.

The Carpet-3 multipurpose shower array for searching cosmic diffuse gamma rays with energy Eγ > 100 TeV

An experiment for measuring the flux of cosmic gamma rays with energy above 100 TeV is currently being prepared at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences. At present the plastic scintillation counters with a total continuous area of 410 m2 are installed in the muon detector (MD) underground tunnels, and they are totally equipped with electronics. Six modules of shower detectors have been already placed on the surface of the MD absorber. In each of them 9 standard plastic scintillation counters are placed with an area of 1 m2 each. These modules are components of the ground surface part of Carpet-3 shower array. The data acquisition system for this array is almost ready. Expected flux limits for cosmic diffuse gamma rays of galactic origin in this work is close to existing experimental limits in the range lower than about 5 PeV, and with improved sensitivity of Carpet-3 one can hope to detect this flux or at least to obtain the best upper limit.

The Upper Limit on Isotropic Flux of Diffuse Gamma Rays with Energy Above 700 TeV as Measured by the Carpet-2 Air Shower Array

An experiment for measuring the flux of cosmic diffuse gamma rays with energies higher than 100 TeV (the Carpet-3 project) is under preparation at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory. The experiment suggests to increase areas of both the muon detector and the surface shower detectors. The experiment’s sensitivity to the showers initiated by primary gamma rays is estimated in this paper for different configurations of the array. In addition, preliminary estimates of the upper limit on diffuse gamma rays with energy above 700 TeV are presented. They are derived from experimental data of the Carpet-2 array (previous version of the experiment) for the net exposure of 9.2 years of observation.

DAMPE excess from decaying right-handed neutrino dark matter

The flux of high-energy cosmic-ray electrons plus positrons recently measured by the DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) exhibits a tentative peak excess at an energy of around 1.4 TeV. In this paper, we consider the minimal gauged U(1)[Formula: see text] model with a right-handed neutrino (RHN) dark matter (DM) and interpret the DAMPE peak with a late-time decay of the RHN DM into [Formula: see text]. We find that a DM lifetime [Formula: see text] can fit the DAMPE peak with a DM mass [Formula: see text]. This favored lifetime is close to the current bound on it by Fermi-LAT, our decaying RHN DM can be tested, once the measurement of cosmic gamma ray flux is improved. The RHN DM communicates with the Standard Model particles through the U(1)[Formula: see text] gauge boson ([Formula: see text] boson), and its thermal relic abundance is controlled by only three free parameters: [Formula: see text], the U(1)[Formula: see text] gauge coupling [Formula: see text], and the [Formula: see text] boson mass [Formula: see text]. For [Formula: see text], the rest of the parameters are restricted to be [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], in order to reproduce the observed DM relic density and to avoid the Landau pole for running [Formula: see text] below the Planck scale. This allowed region will be tested by the search for a [Formula: see text] boson resonance at the future Large Hadron Collider.

The Carpet-3 Multipurpose Air Shower Array of the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences

An experiment for measuring the flux of cosmic gamma rays with energy above 100 TeV is currently being prepared at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences. For this purpose, based on the Carpet-2 shower array which has been operating for many years, the Carpet-3 multipurpose shower array is being constructed. In particular, the preparation of the experiment supposes an increase in the area of the muon detector (MD) and ground part of the array. For ground modules of the Carpet-3 array, a scintillation detector with a liquid scintillator in a plastic package has been elaborated. In this work, descriptions of the Carpet-3 array and working characteristics of the new scintillation detector are presented.

The Carpet-3 Experiment to Search for Diffuse Gamma Rays with Energies Higher than 100 TeV

An experiment for measuring the flux of diffuse cosmic gamma rays with energies above 100 TeV (the Carpet-3 experiment) is now being prepared at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory, Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences. The preparation of the experiment entails an increase in the area both of the muon detector and of the surface part of the air shower array. This work presents an estimate of the experiment sensitivity to showers generated by primary gamma quanta for different configurations of the array. According to experimental data of the Carpet-2 array for 9.2 years of pure data acquisition time, preliminary estimates for the upper limit of the diffuse cosmic gamma ray flux with energies above 930 PeV have been obtained.

The “Carpet-3” air shower array to search for diffuse gamma rays with energy Eγ>100TeV

At present an experiment for measuring the flux of cosmic diffuse gamma rays with energy higher than 100 TeV (experiment “Carpet-3”) is being prepared at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences. The preparation of the experiment implies considerable enlargement of the area of both muon detector and surface part of the shower array. At the moment the plastic scintillation counters with a total continuous area of 410 m2 are installed in the muon detector (MD) underground tunnels, and they are totally equipped with electronics. Adjusting of the counters and their electronic circuits is in progress. Six modules of shower detectors (out of twenty planned to be installed) have already been placed on the surface of the MD absorber. A new liquid scintillation detector is developed for modules of the ground –surface part of the array, whose characteristics are presented. It is shown that the “Carpet-3” air shower array will have the best sensitivity to the flux of primary gamma rays with energies in the range 100TeV – 1PeV, being quite competitive in gamma-ray astronomy at such energies.

The Carpet-3 experiment to search for diffuse gamma rays with energies of more than 100 TeV

An experiment for measuring the flux of cosmic diffuse gamma rays with energies above 100 TeV (the Carpet-3 air shower array) is now being prepared at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory, Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences. The preparations entail a substantial increase of the areas of both the muon detector and the surface air shower array. The experiment’s sensitivity to showers generated by primary gamma rays is estimated for different configurations of the array. In addition, preliminary estimates of the upper limit on the flux of diffuse gamma rays with energies higher than 1.3 PeV, derived using experimental data from the old Carpet-2 array, are presented for a net exposure time of 9.2 years.

Search for diffuse cosmic gamma rays of energy Eγ > 100 TeV with the Carpet-3 air shower array

An experiment for measuring the flux of gamma rays of cosmic origin with energy above 100 TeV is currently being prepared at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory (the Carpet-3 experiment). The experiment performance will be accomplished after radical modernization of the existing array by substantially increasing areas of both the muon detector and ground level shower array. In this work some results of calculations of efficiency of the experiment for showers from primary gamma rays are presented for different configurations of the array. It is demonstrated that by increasing the muon detector area up to 615 m2 (the maximum possible value) one can reach with Carpet-3 the world-best sensitivity to 100 TeV gamma rays. The preliminary values of upper limits on the flux of cosmic diffuse gamma rays with energy higher than 1.3 PeV are also presented, derived from experimental data of the Carpet-2 shower array for a net exposure time of 9.2 years.

Possible application of scintillation detectors with semiconductor PMT for cosmic-neutron and gamma-ray detection

Solar system planets exploration and cosmic neutrons and gamma-ray flux research have been dynamically evolving for several decades. Different scintillation crystals are used for this purpose along with photo signal receivers, such as vacuum photomultiplier tubes (PMT). Many studies are being performed in order to provide alternative devices for photon signal capture: PIN-diodes,avalanche photodiodes, semiconductor silicon photomultipliers. We study the applicability of a silicon PMT in employing highresolution crystals in space applications.

Estimates of the cosmic gamma-ray flux at PeV to EeV energies from the EAS-MSU experiment data

Archival EAS-MSU data are searched for anomalous muonless events which may be caused by primary gamma rays with energies between 10^15 eV and 10^18 eV. We consider a refined sample of high-quality data and confirm the previously reported detection of a non-zero gamma-ray flux at ~5x10^16 eV with a similar flux value but at somewhat lower statistical significance, corresponding to the depletion of the sample. We present upper limits on the flux below and above these energies, including the first constraints in the range (10^17-10^18) eV never studied by any other experiment.

Estimate of the fraction of primary photons in the cosmic-ray flux at energies ∼1017 eV from the EAS-MSU experiment data

We reanalyze archival EAS-MSU data in order to search for events with an anomalously low content of muons with energies E μ > 10 GeV in extensive air showers with the number of particles N e ≳ 2 × 107. We confirm the first evidence for a nonzero flux of primary cosmic gamma rays at energies E ∼ 1017 eV. The estimated fraction of primary gamma rays in the flux of cosmic particles with energies E ≳ 5.4 × 1016 eV is εγ = (0.43 +0.12−0.11 )%, which corresponds to the intensity I γ = (1.2 +0.4−0.3 ) × 10−16 cm−2 s−1 sr−1. The study of arrival directions does not favor any particular mechanism of the origin of the photon-like events.

Some highlights of the first four years of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, formerly called GLAST, measures the cosmic gamma-ray flux in the energy range 8 keV to > 300 GeV. In addition to breakthrough capabilities in energy coverage and localization, the very large field of view enables observations of 20% of the sky at any instant, and the entire sky on a timescale of a few hours. With its launch in 2008, Fermi opens a new and important window on a wide variety of phenomena, including pulsars, black holes and active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, supernova remnants and the origins of cosmic rays, and searches for hypothetical new phenomena such as particle dark matter annihilations. A brief overview and selected science highlights from the first four years are provided.

Global constraints on effective dark matter interactions: relic density, direct detection, indirect detection, and collider

An effective interaction approach is used to describe the interactions between the spin 0 or spin 1/2 dark matter particle and the degrees of freedom of the standard model. This approach is applicable to those models in which the dark matterparticles do not experience the standard-model interactions, e.g., hidden-sector models. We explore the effects of these effective interaction operators on (i) dark matter relic density, (ii) spin-independent and spin-dependent dark matter-nucleon scattering cross sections, (iii) cosmic antiproton and gamma ray fluxes from the galactic halo due to dark matter annihilation, and (iv) monojet and monophoton production plus missing energy at the Tevatron and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We combine the experimental data of relic density from WMAP7, spin-independent cross section from XENON100, spin-dependent cross section from XENON10, ZEPLIN-III, and SIMPLE, cosmic antiproton flux from PAMELA, cosmic gamma-ray flux from Fermi-LAT, and the monojet and monophoton data from the Tevatron and the LHC, to put the most comprehensive limits on each effective operator.

THE APPLICATION OF THE BrilLanCe SERIES SCINTILLATION DETECTOR IN THE SPECTROMETER OF NEUTRAL PARTICLES FOR THE SATELLITE EXPERIMENT ZINA-NT

Spectrometric detector complex ZINA-NT is intended to study a radiation conditions onboard satellite and characteristics of hard X-ray and gamma-ray fluxes from GRB, solar flares and to detect other non-stationary fluxes of cosmic gamma-rays. The advantages for using of this new detector for modification of present neutral particles detector on the base of CsI(Tl) are discussed. Scintillation detectors based on BrilLanCe series crystal have got very small lighting time, an excellent energy resolution and light output, more intensive than devices based on CsI(Tl). Using of BrilLanCe series crystal instead of CsI(Tl) ones allows to detect terrestrial gamma flashes (TGF), gamma ray bursts (GRB) and solar flares with smaller time durations and intensities. Moreover, the counts rate linearity region of BrilLanCe detectors is extended up to 106 s-1 and it allows to observe a very intensive events. So, the using of such type of detector permits us the possibility to separate gamma-quanta and neutrons on the timescales less than 50 microseconds.

OBSERVATION OF DIFFUSE COSMIC AND ATMOSPHERIC GAMMA RAYS AT BALLOON ALTITUDES WITH AN ELECTRON-TRACKING COMPTON CAMERA

We observed diffuse cosmic and atmospheric gamma rays at balloon altitudes with the Sub-MeV gamma-ray Imaging Loaded-on-balloon Experiment I (SMILE-I) as the first step toward a future all-sky survey with a high sensitivity. SMILE-I employed an electron-tracking Compton camera comprised of a gaseous electron tracker as a Compton-scattering target and a scintillation camera as an absorber. The balloon carrying the SMILE-I detector was launched from the Sanriku Balloon Center of the Institute of Space and Astronomical Science/Japan Space Exploration Agency on September 1, 2006, and the flight lasted for 6.8 hr, including level flight for 4.1 hr at an altitude of 32-35 km. During the level flight, we successfully detected 420 downward gamma rays between 100 keV and 1 MeV at zenith angles below 60 degrees. To obtain the flux of diffuse cosmic gamma rays, we first simulated their scattering in the atmosphere using Geant4, and for gamma rays detected at an atmospheric depth of 7.0 g cm-2, we found that 50% and 21% of the gamma rays at energies of 150 keV and 1 MeV, respectively, were scattered in the atmosphere prior to reaching the detector. Moreover, by using Geant4 simulations and the QinetiQ atmospheric radiation model, we estimated that the detected events consisted of diffuse cosmic and atmospheric gamma rays (79%), secondary photons produced in the instrument through the interaction between cosmic rays and materials surrounding the detector (19%), and other particles (2%). The obtained growth curve was comparable to Ling's model, and the fluxes of diffuse cosmic and atmospheric gamma rays were consistent with the results of previous experiments. The expected detection sensitivity of a future SMILE experiment measuring gamma rays between 150 keV and 20 MeV was estimated from our SMILE-I results and was found to be ten times better than that of other experiments at around 1 MeV.

Search for diffuse cosmic gamma-ray flux using fractal and wavelet analysis from galactic region using single imaging Cerenkov telescopes

We show from a simulations-based study of the TACTIC telescope that fractal and wavelet analysis of Cerenkov images, recorded in a single imaging Cerenkov telescope, enables almost complete segregation of isotropic gamma-ray initiated events from the overwhelming background of cosmic ray hadron-initiated events. This presents a new method for measuring galactic and extragalactic gamma-ray background above 1 TeV energy. Preliminary results based on this method are reported here. Primary aim is to explore the possibility of using data recorded by a single imaging atmospheric Cerenkov telescope ( IACT) for making accurate measurements of diffuse galactic and extragalactic gamma-ray flux above ∼1 TeV energy. Using simulated data of atmospheric Cerenkov images recorded in an IACT, initiated, both, by cosmic ray protons and diffuse gamma-rays with energies above 4 TeV and 2 TeV respectively, we identify the most efficient fractal/wavelet parameters of the recorded images for primary identification. The method is based on the pattern recognition technique and employs fractal and wavelet analysis of the recorded Cerenkov images for gamma-hadron segregation. We show that the value of wavelet dimension parameter B 6 can segregate Cerenkov images of hadronic origin from those of diffuse gamma-ray origin with almost 100% accuracy. We use the results to get a preliminary upper limit estimate of the diffuse galactic gamma-ray flux within galactic range of ∣ b∣ ⩽ −5° and ∣ l∣ ⩽ 200° above 2 TeV from a 36 h data set recorded by the TACTIC telescope.

Dark matter and collider phenomenology of split-UED

We explicitly show that split-universal extra dimension (split-UED), a recently suggested extension of universal extra dimension (UED) model, can nicely explain recent anomalies in cosmic-ray positrons and electrons observed by PAMELA and ATIC/PPB-BETS. Kaluza-Klein (KK) dark matters mainly annihilate into leptons because the hadronic branching fraction is highly suppressed by large KK quark masses and the antiproton flux agrees very well with the observation where no excess is found . The flux of cosmic gamma-rays from pion decay is also highly suppressed and hardly detected in low energy region (E<20 GeV). Collider signatures of colored KK particles at the LHC, especially q_1 q_1 production, are studied in detail. Due to the large split in masses of KK quarks and other particles, hard p_T jets and missing E_T are generated, which make it possible to suppress the standard model background and discover the signals.

GLAST and the future of high energy gamma-ray astrophysics

. The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is a mission that is being built by an international collaboration with contributions from space agencies, high-energy particle physics institutes, and universities in France, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the United States to measure the cosmic gamma-ray flux in the energy range 20 MeV to 300 GeV, with supporting measurements for gamma-ray bursts from 10 keV to 25 MeV. With its launch in early 2008, GLAST will open a new and important window on a wide variety of high energy phenomena, including black holes and active galactic nuclei; gamma-ray bursts; the origin of cosmic rays and supernova remnants; and searches for hypothetical new phenomena such as supersymmetric dark matter annihilations, Lorentz invariance violation, and exotic relics from the Big Bang.