1,610 research outputs found
The PAMELA experiment: A space-borne observatory for heliospheric phenomena
Abstract PAMELA is a multi-purpose apparatus composed of a series of scintillator counters arranged at the extremities of a permanent magnet spectrometer to provide charge, time-of-flight and rigidity information. Lepton/hadron identification is performed by a silicon–tungsten calorimeter and a Neutron detector placed at the bottom of the device. An Anticounter system is used offline to reject false triggers coming from the satellite. The device was put into orbit on June 15th 2006 in a pressurized container on board the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite. The satellite is flying along a high inclination (70°), low Earth orbit (350–600 km), allowing to perform measurements in different points and conditions of the geomagnetosphere. PAMELA main goal is a precise measurement of the antimatter ( p ¯ 80 MeV–190 GeV, e + 50 MeV–270 GeV) and matter (p 80–700 GeV, e − 50 MeV–400 GeV) component of the galactic cosmic rays. In this paper we focus on the capabilites of observations of heliospheric cosmic rays: trapped and semi-trapped particles in the proton and electron belts, solar particle events, Jovian electrons will be studied in the three years of expected mission
Detection of the high energy component of Jovian electrons in Low Earth Orbit with the PAMELA experiment
The PAMELA experiment is devoted to the study of cosmic rays in Low Earth
Orbit with an apparatus optimized to perform a precise determination of the
galactic antimatter component of c.r. It is constituted by a number of
detectors built around a permanent magnet spectrometer. PAMELA was launched in
space on June 15th 2006 on board the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite for a mission
duration of three years. The characteristics of the detectors, the long
lifetime and the orbit of the satellite, will allow to address several aspects
of cosmic-ray physics. In this work we discuss the observational capabilities
of PAMELA to detect the electron component above 50 MeV. The magnetic
spectrometer allows a detailed measurement of the energy spectrum of electrons
of galactic and Jovian origin. Long term measurements and correlations with
Earth-Jupiter 13 months synodic period will allow to separate these two
contributions and to measure the primary electron Jovian component, dominant in
the 50-70 MeV energy range. With this technique it will also be possible to
study the contribution to the electron spectrum of Jovian e- reaccelerated up
to 2 GeV at the Solar Wind Termination Shock.Comment: On behalf of PAMELA collaboration. Accepted for publication on
Advances in Space Researc
YODA++: A proposal for a semi-automatic space mission control
YODA++ is a proposal for a semi-automated data handling and analysis system for the PAMELA space experiment. The core of the routines have been developed to process a stream of raw data downlinked from the Resurs DK1 satellite (housing PAMELA) to the ground station in Moscow. Raw data consist of scientific data and are complemented by housekeeping information. Housekeeping information will be analyzed within a short time from download (1 h) in order to monitor the status of the experiment and to foreseen the mission acquisition planning. A prototype for the data visualization will run on an APACHE TOMCAT web application server, providing an off-line analysis tool using a browser and part of code for the system maintenance. Data retrieving development is in production phase, while a GUI interface for human friendly monitoring is on preliminary phase as well as a JavaServerPages/JavaServerFaces (JSP/JSF) web application facility. On a longer timescale (1–3 h from download) scientific data are analyzed. The data storage core will be a mix of CERNs ROOT files structure and MySQL as a relational database. YODA++ is currently being used in the integration and testing on ground of PAMELA data. 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR
The ALTCRISS project on board the International Space Station
The Altcriss project aims to perform a long term survey of the radiation
environment on board the International Space Station. Measurements are being
performed with active and passive devices in different locations and
orientations of the Russian segment of the station. The goal is to perform a
detailed evaluation of the differences in particle fluence and nuclear
composition due to different shielding material and attitude of the station.
The Sileye-3/Alteino detector is used to identify nuclei up to Iron in the
energy range above 60 MeV/n. Several passive dosimeters (TLDs, CR39) are also
placed in the same location of Sileye-3 detector. Polyethylene shielding is
periodically interposed in front of the detectors to evaluate the effectiveness
of shielding on the nuclear component of the cosmic radiation. The project was
submitted to ESA in reply to the AO in the Life and Physical Science of 2004
and data taking began in December 2005. Dosimeters and data cards are rotated
every six months: up to now three launches of dosimeters and data cards have
been performed and have been returned with the end of expedition 12 and 13.Comment: Accepted for publication on Advances in Space Research
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2007.04.03
Launch of the Space experiment PAMELA
PAMELA is a satellite borne experiment designed to study with great accuracy
cosmic rays of galactic, solar, and trapped nature in a wide energy range
protons: 80 MeV-700 GeV, electrons 50 MeV-400 GeV). Main objective is the study
of the antimatter component: antiprotons (80 MeV-190 GeV), positrons (50
MeV-270 GeV) and search for antimatter with a precision of the order of 10^-8).
The experiment, housed on board the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite, was launched
on June, 15, 2006 in a 350*600 km orbit with an inclination of 70 degrees. The
detector is composed of a series of scintillator counters arranged at the
extremities of a permanent magnet spectrometer to provide charge,
Time-of-Flight and rigidity information. Lepton/hadron identification is
performed by a Silicon-Tungsten calorimeter and a Neutron detector placed at
the bottom of the device. An Anticounter system is used offline to reject false
triggers coming from the satellite. In self-trigger mode the Calorimeter, the
neutron detector and a shower tail catcher are capable of an independent
measure of the lepton component up to 2 TeV. In this work we describe the
experiment, its scientific objectives and the performance in the first months
after launch.Comment: Accepted for publication on Advances in Space Researc
Detection of ultra-high energy cosmic ray showers with a single-pixel fluorescence telescope
We present a concept for large-area, low-cost detection of ultra-high energy
cosmic rays (UHECRs) with a Fluorescence detector Array of Single-pixel
Telescopes (FAST), addressing the requirements for the next generation of UHECR
experiments. In the FAST design, a large field of view is covered by a few
pixels at the focal plane of a mirror or Fresnel lens. We report first results
of a FAST prototype installed at the Telescope Array site, consisting of a
single 200 mm photomultiplier tube at the focal plane of a 1 m Fresnel lens
system taken from the prototype of the JEM-EUSO experiment. The FAST prototype
took data for 19 nights, demonstrating remarkable operational stability. We
detected laser shots at distances of several kilometres as well as 16 highly
significant UHECR shower candidates.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic
SiPM: Characterizations, modelling and VLSI front-end dedicated development
In this work we describe the results of performance tests and measures of SiPM of several sizes (1×1, 3×3, 5×5) delivered from MEPHI. The SiPMs have been studied both in steady and pulsed stimuli. Aging and temperature behavior
are also discussed. Another test has been performed in order to obtain an electrical model of the SiPM to be used in analog simulations. Finally, a design of a pilot chip with 0.35 μm technology implementing a front-end for SiPM aimed to TOF applications with adjustable thresholds and very high dynamical range is described
The current status of orbital experiments for UHECR studies
Two types of orbital detectors of extreme energy cosmic rays are being
developed nowadays: (i) TUS and KLYPVE with reflecting optical systems
(mirrors) and (ii) JEM-EUSO with high-transmittance Fresnel lenses. They will
cover much larger areas than existing ground-based arrays and almost uniformly
monitor the celestial sphere. The TUS detector is the pioneering mission
developed in SINP MSU in cooperation with several Russian and foreign
institutions. It has relatively small field of view (+/-4.5 deg), which
corresponds to a ground area of 6.4x10^3 sq.km. The telescope consists of a
Fresnel-type mirror-concentrator (~2 sq.m) and a photo receiver (a matrix of
16x16 photomultiplier tubes). It is to be deployed on the Lomonosov satellite,
and is currently at the final stage of preflight tests. Recently, SINP MSU
began the KLYPVE project to be installed on board of the Russian segment of the
ISS. The optical system of this detector contains a larger primary mirror (10
sq.m), which allows decreasing the energy threshold. The total effective field
of view will be at least +/-14 degrees to exceed the annual exposure of the
existing ground-based experiments. Several configurations of the detector are
being currently considered. Finally, JEM-EUSO is a wide field of view (+/-30
deg) detector. The optics is composed of two curved double-sided Fresnel lenses
with 2.65 m external diameter, a precision diffractive middle lens and a pupil.
The ultraviolet photons are focused onto the focal surface, which consists of
nearly 5000 multi-anode photomultipliers. It is developed by a large
international collaboration. All three orbital detectors have multi-purpose
character due to continuous monitoring of various atmospheric phenomena. The
present status of development of the TUS and KLYPVE missions is reported, and a
brief comparison of the projects with JEM-EUSO is given.Comment: 18 pages; based on the rapporteur talk given by M.I. Panasyuk at
ECRS-2014; v2: a few minor language issues fixed thanks to the editor; to be
published in the proceeding
Inner radiation belt source of helium and heavy hydrogen isotopes
Nuclear interactions between inner zone protons and atoms in the upper atmosphere provide the main source of energetic H and He isotopes nuclei in the radiation belt. This paper reports on the specified calculations of these isotope intensities using various inner zone proton intensity models (AP-8 and SAMPEX/PET PSB97), the atmosphere drift-averaged composition and density model MSIS-90, and cross-sections of the interaction processes from the GNASH nuclear model code. To calculate drift-averaged densities and energy losses of secondaries, the particles were tracked in the geomagnetic field (modelled through IGRF-95) by integrating numerically the equation of the motion. The calculations take into account the kinematics of nuclear interactions along the whole trajectory of trapped proton. The comparison with new data obtained from the experiments on board RESURS-04 and MITA satellites and with data from SAMPEX and CRRES satellites taken during different phases of solar activity shows that the upper atmosphere is a sufficient source for inner zone helium and heavy hydrogen isotopes. The calculation results are energy spectra and angular distributions of light nuclear isotopes in the inner radiation belt that may be used to develop helium inner radiation belt model and to evaluate their contribution to SEU (single event upset) rates
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