Measurements Of High Energy Cosmic Rays Research Articles

CALET on the International Space Station: the first three years of observations

The CALorimetric Electron Telescope CALET is a space instrument designed to carry out precision measurements of high energy cosmic-rays on the JEM-EF external platform on the International Space Station, where it has been collecting science data continuously since mid October 2015. In addition to its primary goal of identifying nearby sources of high-energy electrons and possible signatures of dark matter in the electron spectrum, CALET is carrying out extensive measurements of the energy spectra, relative abundances and secondary-to-primary ratios of elements from proton to iron, and even above (up to Z = 40), studying the details of galactic particle propagation and acceleration. An overview of CALET based on the data taken during the first three years of observations is presented, including a direct measurement of the electron+positron energy spectrum from 11 GeV to 4.8 TeV. The proton spectrum has been measured from 50 GeV to 10 TeV covering, for the first time with a single space-borne instrument, the whole energy interval previously investigated in separate sub-ranges by magnetic spectrometers and calorimetric instruments. Preliminary spectra of cosmic-ray nuclei are also presented, together with gamma-ray observations and searches for an e.m. counterpart of LIGO/Virgo GW events.

Characteristics and Performance of the CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) Calorimeter for Gamma-Ray Observations

Abstract The CALorimetric Electron Telescope primary detector (CALET-CAL) is a 30 radiation-length-deep hybrid calorimeter designed for the accurate measurement of high-energy cosmic rays. It is capable of triggering on and giving near complete containment of electromagnetic showers from primary electrons and gamma rays from 1 GeV to over 10 TeV. The first 24 months of on-orbit scientific data (2015 November 01–2017 October 31) provide valuable characterization of the performance of the calorimeter based on analyses of the gamma-ray data set in general and bright point sources in particular. We describe the gamma-ray analysis, the expected performance of the calorimeter based on Monte Carlo simulations, the agreement of the flight data with the simulated results, and the outlook for long-term gamma-ray observations with the CAL.

The KASCADE Cosmic-ray Data Centre KCDC: granting open access to astroparticle physics research data

The ‘KASCADE Cosmic ray Data Centre’ is a web portal (https://kcdc.ikp.kit.edu), where the data of the astroparticle physics experiment KASCADE-Grande are made available for the interested public. The KASCADE experiment was a large-area detector for the measurement of high-energy cosmic rays via the detection of extensive air showers. The multi-detector installations KASCADE and its extension KASCADE-Grande stopped the active data acquisition in 2013 after more than 20 years of data taking. In several updates since our first release in 2013 with KCDC we provide the public measured and reconstructed parameters of more than 433 million air showers. In addition, KCDC provides meta data information and documentation to enable a user outside the community of experts to perform their own data analysis. Simulation data from three different high energy interaction models have been made available as well as a compilation of measured and published spectra from various experiments. In addition, detailed educational examples shall encourage high-school students and early stage researchers to learn about astroparticle physics, cosmic radiation as well as the handling of Big Data and about the sustainable and public provision of scientific data.

KCDC — The KASCADE Cosmic-ray Data Centre

KCDC, the ‘KASCADE Cosmic-ray Data Centre’, is a web portal, where data of astroparticle physics experiments will be made available for the interested public. The KASCADE experiment, financed by public money, was a large-area detector for the measurement of high-energy cosmic rays via the detection of air showers. KASCADE and its extension KASCADE-Grande stopped finally the active data acquisition of all its components including the radio EAS experiment LOPES end of 2012 after more than 20 years of data taking. In a first release, with KCDC we provide to the public the measured and reconstructed parameters of more than 160 million air showers. In addition, KCDC provides the conceptional design, how the data can be treated and processed so that they are also usable outside the community of experts in the research field. Detailed educational examples make a use also possible for high-school students and early stage researchers.

Beam test of a dual layer silicon charge detector (SCD) for the CREAM experiment

The Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass (CREAM) balloon-borne experiment is designed for direct measurement of high-energy cosmic rays. The experimental goal is to measure single-element fluxes of all cosmic-ray nuclei from hydrogen to iron with energies up to the “knee”, or spectral index change near 10 15 eV , observed in the all-particle spectrum. The dual layer Silicon Charge Detector (SCD) was designed to provide precise charge measurements. Each SCD layer has an active area of 77.9 cm × 79.5 cm and consists of 156 silicon sensors mounted on 24 ladders. Each sensor contains a 4 × 4 array of single-sided DC type silicon pixels with an active area of 2.1 cm 2 . The detector was flown on the second CREAM flight (December 2005–January 2006) and recovered successfully. The SCD was refurbished for the third CREAM flight and tested with high-energy electron and hadron beams at CERN. This paper reports on the performance of the SCD during the beam test.