Search

The GAMMA-400 satellite is an upcoming international space mission designed to detect gamma and cosmic rays in a broad energy range up to 3 TeV, with an excellent angular and energy resolution. The present design foresees a 10 layers Si–W tracker formed by single sided silicon sensors with 80 μ m strip pitch, with a readout pitch of 240 μ m ; the sensors are arranged in four towers, each one with an area of 50×50 cm 2 , for a total of more than 150k channels. This paper presents an analysis of the spatial resolution of the proposed readout configuration, compared with different readout approaches, both in terms of readout pitch and strip/implant widths. The study has been performed with two specially developed silicon modules, each one divided into zones with different characteristics. The tests have been performed on the CERN PS-T9 beamline using 10 GeV negative particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large area Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) are the new frontier of the development of readout systems for scintillating detectors. A SiPM consists of a matrix of parallel-connected silicon micropixels operating in limited Geiger–Muller avalanche mode, and thus working as independent photon counters with a very high gain (~10 6 ). This contribution presents the performance in terms of linearity and energy resolution of an electromagnetic homogeneous calorimeter composed of 9 ~ 18 X 0 LYSO crystals. The crystals were readout by 36 4×4 mm 2 SiPMs (4 for each crystal) produced by FBK-irst. This calorimeter was tested at the Beam Test Facility at the INFN laboratories in Frascati with a single- and multi-particle electron beam in the 100–500 MeV energy range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes a setup dedicated to the test of silicon photomultipliers interfaced to a scintillating bar detector. The main item of the setup is a scintillator bar tracker made of extruded bars, readout with wavelength shifter fibers: multiple configurations in terms of number of fibers and readout bar sides are available to test different readout approaches. This setup has been used to test the prototype SiPMs produced by FBK-irst which are characterized by a larger fill factor and photodetection efficiency with respect to standard devices. The SiPMs have been characterized in terms of efficiency, signal to noise ratio and mean photoelectron number using cosmic rays. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) are a recently developed type of silicon photodetector characterized by high gain and insensitivity to magnetic fields, which make them a suitable detector for the next generation high energy and space physics experiments. This paper presents the performance of a readout system for SiPMs based on the MAROC3 ASIC. The ASIC consists of 64 channels working in parallel, each one with a variable gain pre-amplifier, a tunable slow shaper with a sample & hold circuit for the analog readout and a tunable fast shaper for the digital one. In the tests described in this paper, only the analog part of the ASIC has been used. A frontend board based on the MAROC3 ASIC has been tested at CERN coupled to a scintillator-lead shashlik calorimeter, readout with 36 large area SiPMs. The performance of the system has been characterized in terms of linearity and energy resolution on the CERN PS-T9 and SPS-H2 beamlines, using different configurations of the ASIC parameters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In recent years Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) have been proposed as a new type of readout system for scintillating detectors in many experiments. SiPMs consist of a matrix of parallel-connected silicon micro-pixels, which are independent photon counters working in limited Geiger mode with very high gain ( ). This contribution presents the use of SiPMs (manufactured by FBK-irst) as the readout system of a 3×3 matrix of lead tungstate crystals. The PbWO4 crystals have been provided by the CMS-ECAL group and are pre-production prototypes of the endcap section of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter; they have a trapezoidal shape (with a front section of 2.86×2.86cm2 and a rear one of 2.96×2.96cm2) and are 22cm long, corresponding to . Each crystal is readout using four SiPMs characterized by an active area of 4×4mm2 and 6400 cells, hosted on the same PCB. The gain equalization of the different SiPMs and its variation with the temperature is corrected using a LED system directly integrated on each PCB. A front-end board based on the MAROC3 ASIC has been used for the readout of the SiPMs signal. The performance of the crystal matrix in terms of linearity and energy resolution has been tested in November 2012 at CERN at the SPS-H2 and PS-T9 beamlines in the 1–150GeV energy range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PHENIX detector at RHIC has been designed to study hadronic and leptonic signatures of the Quark Gluon Plasma in heavy ion collisions and spin dependent structure functions in polarized proton collisions. The baseline detector measures muons in two muon spectrometers located forward and backward of mid-rapidity, and measures hadrons, electrons, and photons in two central spectrometer arms, each of which covers 90° in azimuth and 0.35 unit,s of rapidity. Further progress requires extending rapidity coverage for hadronic and electromagnetic signatures by upgrading the functionality of the PHENIX muon spectrometers to include photon and jet measurement capabilities. Tungsten calorimeters with silicon pixel readout and fine transverse and longitudinal segmentation are proposed to attain this goal. The use of such a design provides the highest density and finest granularity possible, in a calorimeter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new measurement of the primary cosmic-ray proton and helium fluxes from 3 to 350 GeV was carried out by the balloon-borne CAPRICE experiment in 1998. This experimental setup combines different detector techniques and has excellent particle discrimination capabilities allowing clear particle identification. Our experiment has the capability to determine accurately detector selection efficiencies and systematic errors associated with them. Furthermore, it can check for the first time the energy determined by the magnet spectrometer by using the Cherenkov angle measured by the RICH detector well above 20 GeV n−1. The analysis of the primary proton and helium components is described here and the results are compared with other recent measurements using other magnet spectrometers. The observed energy spectra at the top of the atmosphere can be represented by (1.27±0.09)×104 E−2.75±0.02 particles (m2 GeV sr s)−1, where E is the kinetic energy in GeV, for protons between 20 and 350 GeV and (4.8±0.8)×102 E−2.67±0.03 particles (m2 GeV n−1 sr s)−1, where E is the kinetic energy in GeV per nucleon, for helium nuclei between 15 and 150 GeV n−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An imaging calorimeter has been designed and is being built for the PAMELA satellite-borne experiment. The physics goals of the experiment are the measurement of the flux of antiprotons, positrons and light isotopes in the cosmic radiation.The calorimeter is designed to perform a precise measurement of the total energy deposited, to reconstruct the spatial development of the showers (both in the longitudinal and in the transverse directions), and to measure the energy distribution along the shower itself. From this information, the calorimeter will identify antiprotons from an electron background and positrons in a background of protons with an efficiency of about 95% and a rejection power better than 10−4. Furthermore, a self-trigger system has been implemented with the calorimeter that will be employed to measure high-energy (from about 300 GeV to more than 1 TeV) electrons.The instrument is composed of 22 layers of tungsten, each sandwiched between two “views” of silicon strip detectors (X and Y). The signals are read out by a custom VLSI front-end chip, the CR1.4P, specifically designed for the PAMELA calorimeter, with a dynamic range of 7.14 pC or 1400 minimum ionizing particle (mip).We report on the simulated performance and prototype design. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Proposes a novel linear silicon drift detector (SDD) in which the proper potential profile is established by the voltage drop along a cathode implanted across the surfaces. Analytical approach of the study; Result of numerical simulation; Prototype characterization.

In this work, a new analysis of the isotopic composition of boron nuclei (B) in galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) in the range of rigidities of 1–5 GV (nuclear energies 0.1–1.5 GeV/nucleon) was carried out using data from the PAMELA space experiment 2006–2014 on the rigidity of detected nuclei and their velocity (time-of-flight analysis and ionization losses in the instrument's multilayer calorimeter). The new results of the PAMELA experiment expand the energy range of previous measurements, are consistent with the few existing data, and indicate deviations of the B isotope ratios from the GALPROP simulation data for the GCR, similar to the deviations for the Li and Be isotopes in the PAMELA data, which can be interpreted as evidence of observation against the background of the GCR of the contribution of several local sources from explosions of nearby (hundreds of parsecs) supernovae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of the INFN R&D project CASIS, we have designed a new double-sided silicon strip detector with parallel strips, optimised for calorimetry. The idea is to read out p and n strips with two types of electronics, having different sensitivities and ranges, in order to increase the overall dynamic range by covering different signal regions. We present results from a test beam we performed at TSL (Uppsala, Sweden) with N, O and Ne ions with energies above 40 MeV/n. The design of a new front-end integrated circuit, with ultra-large dynamic range (more than 10,000 MIP) is under way and the first prototypes will be produced by the end of 2003. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A Forbush decrease (FD) is a sudden drop of cosmic-ray intensity arising as an effect of coronal mass ejection (CME) propagation in interplanetary space. The different physical properties of each CME cause variability in the FDs observed by scientific instruments. A comprehensive study of both phenomena is required to properly understand the processes involved in FDs. Most of the current studies in this field use experimental data obtained by ground-based apparatus that measure the flux of cosmic rays via their interaction with Earth's atmosphere. Direct measurements in space of FDs are rather rare. In this work, we present the results obtained by the spacecraft-borne experiment Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA). The experiment took data from 15 June 2006 until January 2016. A series of FDs during the period 2006 – 2013 were studied. Only significant events with amplitude ≥ 10% for the proton flux R = 1.1 – 2.9 GV were taken into account. The dependencies of the recovery times on the particle rigidity were obtained for FD events generated by halo-type CMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FLARES is a project for an innovative detector technology to be applied to rare event searches, and in particular to neutrinoless double beta decay experiments. Its novelty is the enhancement and optimization of the collection of the scintillation light emitted by ultra-pure crystals through the use of arrays of high performance silicon photodetectors cooled to 120 K. This would provide scintillation detectors with 1% level energy resolution, with the advantages of a technology offering relatively simple low cost mass scalability and powerful background reduction handles, as requested by future neutrinoless double beta decay experimental programs. The performances of a first production of matrices of Silicon Drift Detectors are presented and discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GAMMA-400 telescope will measure the fluxes of gamma rays and cosmic-ray electrons and positrons in the energy range from 100 MeV to several TeV. These measurements will allow it to achieve the following scientific objectives: search for signatures of dark matter, investigation of gamma-ray point-like and extended sources, study of the energy spectrum of the Galactic and extragalactic diffuse emission, study of gamma-ray bursts and gamma-ray emission from the active Sun, together with high-precision measurements of the high-energy electrons and positrons spectra, protons and nuclei up to the knee. The bulk of cosmic rays are protons and helium nuclei, whereas the lepton component in the total flux is ∼10 −3 at high energy. In the present paper, the simulated capability of the GAMMA-400 telescope to distinguish electrons and positrons from protons in cosmic rays is addressed. The individual contribution to the proton rejection from each detector system of GAMMA-400 is studied separately. The use of the combined information from all detectors allows us to reach a proton rejection of the order of ∼4 × 10 5 for vertical incident particles and ∼3 × 10 5 for particles with initial inclination of 30° in the electron energy range from 50 GeV to 1 TeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct observation of cosmic rays nuclei is currently limited to energies of the order of hundreds of TeV. In order to extend these observations to higher energies, detectors capable of operating in space with high geometric factor and energy resolution are needed. In particular, highly performing calorimeters based on the CaloCube design can allow to carry out cosmic ray measurements in the PeV energy region. The CaloCube R&D project foresees the installation in space of a homogeneous and isotropic calorimeter composed of cubic scintillator crystals arranged to form a cube of about tons weight, with a high acceptance and capable of detecting particles coming from any direction. A prototype, composed of 5 × 5 × 18 CsI(Tl) crystals, has been tested on high-energy particle beams at CERN SPS accelerator and the results relative to the calorimeter response to protons are reported in this document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon photomultipliers are silicon devices that in recent times have been proposed as candidates for the replacement of photomultiplier tubes in many experimental situations. In this article we describe the performance of SiPMs as a readout system of a shashlik calorimeter composed of 41 8\times 8\ \ cm^2, 3.27-mm-thick tiles of scintillator and 40 8\times 8\ \ cm^2, 3.27-mm-thick tiles of lead, for a total of \sim24 radiation lengths; the light is collected by 64 0.8-mm wave-length-shifter (WLS) fibers grouped in bundles of four for, a total of 16 channels. The SiPMs are manufactured by FBK-irst and have a sensitive area of 1 \ mm^2. The calorimeter has been tested at CERN using both a low (PS T10 beamline) and high (SPS H4 beamline) energy beam during the summer 2009 data taking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The SiPMs are excellent candidates for the replacement of PMTs in many experimental situations. In this article we describe the performances of different types of SiPMs from Hamamatsu and FBK-IRST before and after irradiation with photons and neutrons in terms of signal to noise ratio, time resolution and efficiency. The SiPMs are connected to a scintillation tracker/calorimeter, composed of eight layers ( and ) of 10 scintillating bars each and have been tested at the CERN PS T9 beamline. The tracker/calorimeter is a small-size prototype of a bigger detector called EMR (Electron Muon Ranger), a particle identification system developed for the MICE experiment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We present a study of the eastâ€"west anisotropy of trapped-proton fluxes in low-Earth orbit based on the measurements of the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) experiment. The differential intensities of eastward- and westward-traveling protons detected in the South Atlantic Anomaly region were estimated as a function of equatorial pitch angle and drift shell, for six energy bins between 80 MeV and 2 GeV. We found that, as a consequence of the strong atmospheric gradient coupled with the large gyroradius in this energy range, the intensities of eastward fluxes exceed those of westward fluxes by a factor of ∼10â€"20. However, the reported directional asymmetry also depends on the sign of the local flux gradient, resulting in more intense westward fluxes beyond the radial distances where the inner belt peaks. PAMELA observations can be used to improve the description of the near-Earth radiation environment at lowest altitudes and highest trapping energies, where current theoretical and empirical models are affected by the largest uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon drift detectors with an active area of 7.0 × 7.5 cm2 will equip the two middle layers of the Inner Tracking System of the ALICE experiment. The performance of several prototypes was studied during beam tests carried out at the CERN SPS facility. The results of the beam test data analysis are discussed in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report results on drift velocity monitoring using MOS charge injectors in silicon drift detectors obtained in beam test conditions. The correction of velocity variations as small as 0.03% caused by temperature variations of the order of 0.04 K allowed to get an average space resolution along all the drift path of 28 μm. Preliminary result demonstrating the possibility to correct for temperature gradients along the anode axis are also presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents information on a synchrotron radiation beamline, which was built by the SYRMEP collaboration at Elettra in Trieste, Italy. Devotion of the beamline to medical imaging; Premise on which the SYRMEP imaging system is built; Information on the beamline principle, and layout.

Precise time-dependent measurements of the Z = 2 component in the cosmic radiation provide crucial information about the propagation of charged particles through the heliosphere. The PAMELA experiment, with its long flight duration (2006 June 15–2016 January 23) and the low energy threshold (80 MeV/n) is an ideal detector for cosmic-ray solar modulation studies. In this paper, the helium nuclei spectra measured by the PAMELA instrument from 2006 July to 2009 December over a Carrington rotation time basis are presented. A state-of-the-art three-dimensional model for cosmic-ray propagation inside the heliosphere was used to interpret the time-dependent measured fluxes. Proton-to-helium flux ratio time profiles at various rigidities are also presented in order to study any features that could result from the different masses and local interstellar spectra shapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of secondary-electron and secondary-positron fluxes below the geomagnetic cutoff in near-Earth space were performed by means of the PAMELA magnetic spectrometer installed on board the Resurs-DK1 satellite launched on June 15, 2006, in an elliptical orbit of inclination 70° and altitude 350 to 600 km. This spectrometer permits measuring the fluxes of electrons and positrons over a wide energy range, as well as determining their spatial distributions to a precision of about 2°. A calculation of particle trajectories in the geomagnetic field makes it possible to separate electrons and positrons originating from cosmic-ray interactions in the Earth’s magnetosphere. The spatial distributions of quasitrapped, trapped, and short-lived albedo positrons and electrons of energy above 70 MeV in the radiation belt were analyzed. The ratio of the electron-to-positron fluxes and the energy spectra of the electrons and positrons in question are indicative of different productionmechanisms for stably trapped and quasitrapped secondary particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct detection of high-energy cosmic rays up to the PeV region is one of the major challenges for the next generation of space-borne cosmic-ray detectors. The physics performance will be primarily determined by their geometrical acceptance and energy resolution. CaloCube is a homogeneous calorimeter whose geometry allows an almost isotropic response, so as to detect particles arriving from every direction in space, thus maximizing the acceptance. A comparative study of different scintillating materials and mechanical structures has been performed by means of Monte Carlo simulation. The scintillation-Cherenkov dual read-out technique has been also considered and its benefit evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PAMELA satellite experiment is providing comprehensive observations of the interplanetary and magnetospheric radiation in the near-Earth environment. Thanks to its identification capabilities and the semi-polar orbit, PAMELA is able to precisely measure the energetic spectra and the angular distributions of the different cosmic-ray populations over a wide latitude region, including geomagnetically trapped and albedo particles. Its observations comprise the solar energetic particle events between solar cycles 23 and 24, and the geomagnetic cutoff variations during magnetospheric storms. PAMELA’s measurements are supported by an accurate analysis of particle trajectories in the Earth’s magnetosphere based on a realistic geomagnetic field modeling, which allows the classification of particle populations of different origin and the investigation of the asymptotic directions of arrival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct observation of high-energy cosmic rays, up to the PeV region, will increasingly rely on highly performing calorimeters, and the physics performance will be primarily determined by their geometrical acceptance and energy resolution. Thus, it is extremely important to optimize their geometrical design, granularity, and absorption depth, with respect to the total mass of the apparatus, which is among the most important constraints for a space mission. Calocube is a homogeneous calorimeter whose basic geometry is cubic and isotropic, so as to detect particles arriving from every direction in space, thus maximizing the acceptance; granularity is obtained by filling the cubic volume with small cubic scintillating crystals. This design forms the basis of a three-year R & D activity which has been approved and financed by INFN. A comparative study of different scintillating materials has been performed. Optimal values for the size of the crystals and spacing among them have been studied. Different geometries, besides the cubic one, and the possibility to implement dual-readout techniques have been investigated. A prototype, instrumented with CsI(Tl) cubic crystals, has been constructed and tested with particle beams. An overview of the obtained results will be presented and the perspectives for future space experiments will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FLARES is an innovative project in the field of rare events searches, such as the search for the neutrinoless double beta decay. It aims at demonstrating the high potential of a technique that combines ultra-pure scintillating crystals with arrays of high performance silicon drift detectors, operated at about 120 K, to reach a 1% level energy resolution. The proposed technique will combine in a single device all the demanding features needed by an ideal experiment looking for rare events. The performance of a first production of matrices of silicon drift detectors as well as first measurements of the low temperature light yield of a selection of high purity scintillating crystals will be presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) is an upcoming balloon mission to measure low-energy cosmic-ray antinuclei during at least three ∼ 35-day Antarctic flights. With its large geometric acceptance and novel exotic atom-based particle identification, GAPS will detect ∼ 500 cosmic antiprotons per flight and produce a precision cosmic antiproton spectrum in the kinetic energy range of ∼ 0. 07 − 0. 21 GeV/ n at the top of the atmosphere. With these high statistics extending to lower energies than any previous experiment, and with complementary sources of experimental uncertainty compared to traditional magnetic spectrometers, the GAPS antiproton measurement will be sensitive to dark matter, primordial black holes, and cosmic ray propagation. The antiproton measurement will also validate the GAPS antinucleus identification technique for the antideuteron and antihelium rare-event searches. This analysis demonstrates the GAPS sensitivity to cosmic-ray antiprotons using a full instrument simulation and event reconstruction, and including solar and atmospheric effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 7.24 × 12.03 cm 2 sensor, Silicon Drift Detector (SDD), has been developed for the enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry (eXTP) mission of the Chinese Academy of Science, with a large contribution by a European consortium inherited from the ESA-M3 LOFT mission study. In the frame of the project X-ray Observatories (XRO), active in the National Scientific Commission 2 of the INFN, we report the details of the qualification procedure to select from the mass production the 640 sensors that will equip the Large Area Detector (the eXTP instrument dedicated to the X-ray spectroscopy in the range 2-30 keV), with energy resolution below 240 eV FWHM at 6 keV during the entire mission duration of at least 5 years. This stringent requirement dictates the need to thoroughly verify the characteristics of each single sensor before integration in the final layout. We describe the dedicated testing facilities that have been developed. We report on the detector selection criteria and test results obtained in the pre-series production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future research in High Energy Cosmic Ray Physics concerns fundamental questions on their origin, acceleration mechanism, and composition. Unambiguous measurements of the energy spectra and of the composition of cosmic rays at the “knee” region could provide some of the answers to the above questions. Only ground based observations, which rely on sophisticated models describing high energy interactions in the earth׳s atmosphere, have been possible so far due to the extremely low particle rates at these energies. A calorimeter based space experiment can provide not only flux measurements but also energy spectra and particle identification, especially when coupled to a dE/dx measuring detector, and thus overcome some of the limitations plaguing ground based experiments. For this to be possible very large acceptances are needed if enough statistic is to be collected in a reasonable time. This contrasts with the lightness and compactness requirements for space based experiments. A novel idea in calorimetry is discussed here which addresses these issues while limiting the mass and volume of the detector. In fact a small prototype is currently being built and tested with ions. In this paper the results obtained will be presented in light of the simulations performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we present results of a direct search for strange quark matter (SQM) in cosmic rays with the PAMELA space spectrometer. If this state of matter exists it may be present in cosmic rays as particles, called strangelets, having a high density and an anomalously high mass-to-charge (A/Z) ratio. A direct search in space is complementary to those from ground-based spectrometers. Furthermore, it has the advantage of being potentially capable of directly identifying these particles, without any assumption on their interaction model with Earth's atmosphere and the long-term stability in terrestrial and lunar rocks. In the rigidity range from 1.0 to ~1.0×103 GV, no such particles were found in the data collected by PAMELA between 2006 and 2009. An upper limit on the strangelet flux in cosmic rays was therefore set for particles with charge 1≤Z≤8 and mass 4≤A≤1.2×105. This limit as a function of mass and as a function of magnetic rigidity allows us to constrain models of SQM production and propagation in the Galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A useful parametrization of the energy spectrum of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) near Earth is offered by the so-called force-field model which describes the shape of the entire spectrum with a single parameter, the modulation potential. While the usefulness of the force-field approximation has been confirmed for regular periods of solar modulation, it was not tested explicitly for disturbed periods, when GCR are locally modulated by strong interplanetary transients. Here we use direct measurements of protons and α -particles performed by the PAMELA space-borne instrument during December 2006, including a major Forbush decrease, in order to directly test the validity of the force-field parameterization. We conclude that (1) The force-field parametrization works very well in describing the energy spectra of protons and α -particles directly measured by PAMELA outside the Earths atmosphere; (2) The energy spectrum of GCR can be well parameterized by the force-field model also during a strong Forbush decrease; (3) The estimate of the GCR modulation parameter, obtained using data from the world-wide neutron monitor network, is in good agreement with the spectra directly measured by PAMELA during the studied interval. This result is obtained on the basis of a single event analysis, more events need to be analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale anisotropy or so-called sidereal-diurnal wave has been detected in the PAMELA satellite experiment in the time interval of 2006-2014. The magnitude of anisotropy has been measured simultaneously for the Southern and Northern Hemispheres in the equatorial coordinate system. The results confirm the data of ground-based experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A change in the ratio of the intensities of particles of high-energy cosmic rays arriving from the North and South in the time interval of 2010-2014 has been detected with a calorimeter entering into the experimental complex of the PAMELA satellite experiment since June 2006. The polarity of the magnetic field of the Sun changed in a part of this time interval. Thus, the results indicate that the North-South asymmetry of cosmic ray fluxes is related to the magnetic field of the Sun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the 15th of June 2006, the PAMELA (Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics) satellite-borne experiment was launched onboard the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite by a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur space centre. The satellite was placed in a quasi-polar 70°inclination orbit at an altitude varying between 350 km and 600 km. New results on the antiparticle component of the cosmic radiation were obtained. The positron energy spectrum and positron fraction were measured from 400 MeV up to 200 GeV revealing a positron excess over the predictions of commonly used propagation models. This can be interpreted either as evidence that the propagation models should be revised or in terms of dark matter annihilation or a pulsar contribution. The antiproton spectrum was measured over the energy range from 60 MeV to 350 GeV. The antiproton spectrum is consistent with secondary production and significantly constrains dark matter models. The energy spectra of protons and helium nuclei were measured up to 1.2 TV. The spectral shapes of these two species are different and cannot be described well by a single power law. For the first time the electron spectrum was measured up to 600 GeV complementing the information obtained from the positron data. Nuclear and isotopic composition was obtained with unprecedented precision. The variation of the low energy proton, electron and positron energy spectra was measured from July 2006 until December 2009 accurately sampling the unusual conditions of the most recent solar minimum activity period (2006–2009). Low energy particle spectra were accurately measured also for various solar events that occurred during the PAMELA mission. The Earth’s magnetosphere was studied measuring the particle radiation in different regions of the magnetosphere. Energy spectra and composition of sub-cutoff and trapped particles were obtained. For the first time a belt of trapped antiprotons was detected in the South Atlantic Anomaly region. The flux was found to exceed that for galactic cosmic-ray antiprotons by three order of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the 15th of June 2006, the PAMELA satellite-borne experiment was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome and it has been collecting data since July 2006. The primary scientific goal is the measurement of the antiproton and positron energy spectra. Antiparticles are a natural component of the cosmic radiation being produced in the interaction between cosmic rays and the interstellar matter. They have been shown to be extremely interesting for understanding the propagation mechanisms of cosmic rays. Furthermore, novel sources of primary cosmic-ray antiparticles of either astrophysical or exotic origin (e.g. annihilation of dark matter particles) can also be probed. In this paper we review the PAMELA antiparticle results and their significance for the field of astroparticle physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New measurements of the energy spectra of cosmic-ray protons and helium nuclei with significantly increased statistics owing to an improvement of the event selection technique and the involvement of all data over the period 2006-2013 in the analysis have been made at energies above 0.8 TeV/nucleon with a position-sensitive calorimeter based on data from the PAMELA satellite-borne experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision measurements of the positron component in the cosmic radiation provide important information about the propagation of cosmic rays and the nature of particle sources in our Galaxy. The satellite-borne experiment PAMELA has been used to make a new measurement of the cosmic-ray positron flux and fraction that extends previously published measurements up to 300 GeV in kinetic energy. The combined measurements of the cosmic-ray positron energy spectrum and fraction provide a unique tool to constrain interpretation models. During the recent solar minimum activity period from July 2006 to December 2009, approximately 24?500 positrons were observed. The results cannot be easily reconciled with purely secondary production, and additional sources of either astrophysical or exotic origin may be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]