Search

The measurement of cosmic rays at energies exceeding 100 TeV per nucleon is crucial for enhancing the understanding of high-energy particle propagation and acceleration models in the Galaxy. HERD is a space-borne calorimetric experiment that aims to extend the current direct measurements of cosmic rays to unexplored energies. The payload is scheduled to be installed on the Chinese Space Station in 2027. The primary peculiarity of the instrument is its capability to measure particles coming from all directions, with the main detector being a deep, homogeneous, 3D calorimeter. The active elements are read out using two independent systems: one based on wavelength shifter fibers coupled to CMOS cameras, and the other based on photo-diodes read-out with custom front-end electronics. A large calorimeter prototype was tested in 2023 during an extensive beam test campaign at CERN. In this paper, the performance of the calorimeter for high-energy electron beams, as obtained from the photo-diode system data, is presented. The prototype demonstrated excellent performance, e.g., an energy resolution better than 1% for electrons at 250 GeV. A comparison between beam test data and Monte Carlo simulation data is also presented.

The FAMU experiment at RIKEN-RAL is a muonic atom experiment with the aim to determine the Zemach radius of the proton by measuring the 1s hyperfine splitting in muonic hydrogen. The activity of the FAMU Collaboration in the years 2015-2023 enabled the final optimisation of the detector-target setup as well as the gas working condition in terms of temperature, pressure and gas mixture composition. The experiment has started its data taking in July 2023. The status of the detector setup for the 2023 experimental runs, for the beam characterisation and muonic X-ray detection in the 100-200 keV energy range, is presented and discussed., Comment: Submitted to JINST

Compilation of papers presented by the GAPS Collaboration at the 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC), held July 26 through August 3, 2023 in Nagoya, Japan.

The measurement of cosmic-ray individual spectra provides unique information regarding the origin and propagation of astro-particles. Due to the limited acceptance of current space experiments, protons and nuclei around the "knee" region ($\sim1\ PeV$) can only be observed by ground based experiments. Thanks to an innovative design, the High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) facility will allow direct observation up to this energy region: the instrument is mainly based on a 3D segmented, isotropic and homogeneous calorimeter which properly measures the energy of particles coming from each direction and it will be made of about 7500 LYSO cubic crystals. The read-out of the scintillation light is done with two independent systems: the first one based on wave-length shifting fibers coupled to Intensified scientific CMOS cameras, the second one is made of two photo-diodes with different active areas connected to a custom front-end electronics. This photo-diode system is designed to achieve a huge dynamic range, larger than $10^7$, while having a small power consumption, few mW per channel. Thanks to a good signal-to-noise ratio, the capability of a proper calibration, by using signals of both non-interacting and showering particles, is also guaranteed. In this paper, the current design and the performance obtained by several tests of the photo-diode read-out system are discussed.

Time-dependent energy spectra of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) carry fundamental information regarding their origin and propagation. When observed at the Earth, these spectra are significantly affected by the solar wind and the embedded solar magnetic field that permeates the heliosphere, changing significantly over an 11-year solar cycle. Energy spectra of GCRs measured during different epochs of solar activity provide crucial information for a thorough understanding of solar and heliospheric phenomena. The PAMELA experiment had collected data for almost ten years (15th June 2006 - 23rd January 2016), including the minimum phase of solar cycle 23 and the maximum phase of solar cycle 24. In this paper, we present new spectra for helium nuclei measured by the PAMELA instrument from January 2010 to September 2014 over a three Carrington rotation time basis. These data are compared to the PAMELA spectra measured during the previous solar minimum providing a picture of the time dependence of the helium nuclei fluxes over a nearly full solar cycle. Time and rigidity dependencies are observed in the proton-to-helium flux ratios. The force-field approximation of the solar modulation was used to relate these dependencies to the shapes of the local interstellar proton and helium-nuclei spectra., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures

The direct observation of high-energy cosmic rays, up to the PeV energy 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 totalmass of the apparatus, which is amongst the most important constraints for a space mission. CaloCube is an homogeneous calorimeter whose basic geometry is cubic and isotropic, obtained by filling the cubic volume with small cubic scintillating crystals. In this way it is possible to detect particles arriving from every direction in space, thus maximizing the acceptance. This design summarizes a three-year R&D activity, aiming to both optimize and study the full-scale performance of the calorimeter, in the perspective of a cosmic-ray space mission, and investigate a viable technical design by means of the construction of several sizable prototypes. A large scale prototype, made of a mesh of 5x5x18 CsI(Tl) crystals, has been constructed and tested on high-energy particle beams at CERN SPS accelerator. In this paper we describe the CaloCube design and present the results relative to the response of the large scale prototype to electrons., Comment: 24 pages, 19 figures

We present a study of the solar-cycle variations of >80 MeV proton flux intensities in the lower edge of the inner radiation belt, based on the measurements of the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) mission. The analyzed data sample covers an ~8 year interval from 2006 July to 2014 September, thus spanning from the decaying phase of the 23rd solar cycle to the maximum of the 24th cycle. We explored the intensity temporal variations as a function of drift shell and proton energy, also providing an explicit investigation of the solar-modulation effects at different equatorial pitch angles. PAMELA observations offer new important constraints for the modeling of low-altitude particle radiation environment at the highest trapping energies., Comment: accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters

The General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) is an Antarctic balloon experiment designed for low-energy (0.1$-$0.3 GeV/$n$) cosmic antinuclei as signatures of dark matter annihilation or decay. GAPS is optimized to detect low-energy antideuterons, as well as to provide unprecedented sensitivity to low-energy antiprotons and antihelium nuclei. The novel GAPS antiparticle detection technique, based on the formation, decay, and annihilation of exotic atoms, provides greater identification power for these low-energy antinuclei than previous magnetic spectrometer experiments. This work reports the sensitivity of GAPS to detect antihelium-3 nuclei, based on full instrument simulation, event reconstruction, and realistic atmospheric influence simulations. The report of antihelium nuclei candidate events by AMS-02 has generated considerable interest in antihelium nuclei as probes of dark matter and other beyond the Standard Model theories. GAPS is in a unique position to detect or set upper limits on the cosmic antihelium nuclei flux in an energy range that is essentially free of astrophysical background. In three 35-day long-duration balloon flights, GAPS will be sensitive to an antihelium flux on the level of $1.3^{+4.5}_{-1.2}\cdot 10^{-6}\mathrm{m^{-2}sr^{-1}s^{-1}}(\mathrm{GeV}/n)^{-1}$ (95% confidence level) in the energy range of 0.11$-$0.3 GeV/$n$, opening a new window on rare cosmic physics., Comment: Accepted for publication at Astroparticle Physics, 13 pages, 5 figures

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 (15th June 2006 - 23rd January 2016) 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 July 2006 to December 2009 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 which could result from the different masses and local interstellar spectra shapes.

The General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) will carry out a sensitive dark matter search by measuring low-energy ($\mathrm{E} < 0.25 \mathrm{GeV/nucleon}$) cosmic ray antinuclei. The primary targets are low-energy antideuterons produced in the annihilation or decay of dark matter. At these energies antideuterons from secondary/tertiary interactions are expected to have very low fluxes, significantly below those predicted by well-motivated, beyond the standard model theories. GAPS will also conduct low-energy antiproton and antihelium searches. Combined, these observations will provide a powerful search for dark matter and provide the best observations to date on primordial black hole evaporation on Galactic length scales. The GAPS instrument detects antinuclei using the novel exotic atom technique. It consists of a central tracker with a surrounding time-of-flight (TOF) system. The tracker is a one cubic meter volume containing 10 cm-diameter lithium-drifted silicon (Si(Li)) detectors. The TOF is a plastic scintillator system that will both trigger the Si(Li) tracker and enable better reconstruction of particle tracks. After coming to rest in the tracker, antinuclei will form an excited exotic atom. This will then de-excite via characteristic X-ray transitions before producing a pion/proton star when the antiparticle annihilates with the nucleus. This unique event topology will give GAPS the nearly background-free detection capability required for a rare-event search. Here we present the scientific motivation for the GAPS experiment, its design and its current status as it prepares for flight in the austral summer of 2021-22., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, Proc. 36th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2019), Madison, USA

We report the first measurement of the temperature dependence of muon transfer rate from $\mu$p atoms to oxygen between 100 and 300 K. Data were obtained from the X-ray spectra of delayed events in gaseous target H$_2$/O$_2$ exposed to a muon beam. Based on the data, we determined the muon transfer energy dependence up to 0.1 eV, showing an 8-fold increase in contrast with the predictions of constant rate in the low energy limit. This work set constraints on theoretical models of muon transfer, and is of fundamental importance for the measurement of the hyperfine splitting of $\mu$p by the FAMU collaboration., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

The General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) is designed to carry out indirect dark matter search by measuring low-energy cosmic-ray antiparticles. Below a few GeVs the flux of antiparticles produced by cosmic-ray collisions with the interstellar medium is expected to be very low and several well-motivated beyond-standard models predict a sizable contribution to the antideuteron flux. GAPS is planned to fly on a long-duration balloon over Antarctica in the austral summer of 2020. The primary detector is a 1m3 central volume containing planes of Si(Li) detectors. This volume is surrounded by a time-of-flight system to both trigger the Si(Li) detector and reconstruct the particle tracks. The detection principle of the experiment relies on the identification of the antiparticle annihilation pattern. Low energy antiparticles slow down in the apparatus and they are captured in the medium to form exotic excited atoms, which de-excite by emitting characteristic X-rays. Afterwards they undergo nuclear annihilation, resulting in a star of pions and protons. The simultaneous measurement of the stopping depth and the dE/dx loss of the primary antiparticle, of the X-ray energies and of the star particle-multiplicity provides very high rejection power, that is critical in rare-event search. GAPS will be able to perform a precise measurement of the cosmic antiproton flux below 250 MeV, as well as a sensitive search for antideuterons., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, Low Energy Antiproton Physics Conference (LEAP) 2018, Paris (France)

The General AntiParticle Spectrometer (GAPS) is a balloon-borne instrument designed to detect cosmic-ray antimatter using the novel exotic atom technique, obviating the strong magnetic fields required by experiments like AMS, PAMELA, or BESS. It will be sensitive to primary antideuterons with kinetic energies of $\approx0.05-0.2$ GeV/nucleon, providing some overlap with the previously mentioned experiments at the highest energies. For $3\times35$ day balloon flights, and standard classes of primary antideuteron propagation models, GAPS will be sensitive to $m_{\mathrm{DM}}\approx10-100$ GeV c$^{-2}$ WIMPs with a dark-matter flux to astrophysical flux ratio approaching 100. This clean primary channel is a key feature of GAPS and is crucial for a rare event search. Additionally, the antiproton spectrum will be extended with high statistics measurements to cover the $0.07 \leq E \leq 0.25 $ GeV domain. For $E>0.2$ GeV GAPS data will be complementary to existing experiments, while $E<0.2$ GeV explores a new regime. The first flight is scheduled for late 2020 in Antarctica. These proceedings will describe the astrophysical processes and backgrounds relevant to the dark matter search, a brief discussion of detector operation, and construction progress made to date., Comment: Talk presented CIPANP2018. 13 pages, LaTeX, 7 figures. Higher resolution figs at http://gaps1.astro.ucla.edu/gaps/papers2018/cipanp18

The main goal of the FAMU experiment is the measurement of the hyperfine splitting (hfs) in the 1S state of muonic hydrogen $\Delta E_{hfs}(\mu^-p)1S$. The physical process behind this experiment is the following: $\mu p$ are formed in a mixture of hydrogen and a higher-Z gas. When absorbing a photon at resonance-energy $\Delta E_{hfs}\approx0.182$~eV, in subsequent collisions with the surrounding $H_2$ molecules, the $\mu p$ is quickly de-excited and accelerated by $\sim2/3$ of the excitation energy. The observable is the time distribution of the K-lines X-rays emitted from the $\mu Z$ formed by muon transfer $(\mu p) +Z \rightarrow (\mu Z)^*+p$, a reaction whose rate depends on the $\mu p$ kinetic energy. The maximal response, to the tuned laser wavelength, of the time distribution of X-ray from K-lines of the $(\mu Z)^*$ cascade indicate the resonance. During the preparatory phase of the FAMU experiment, several measurements have been performed both to validate the methodology and to prepare the best configuration of target and detectors for the spectroscopic measurement. We present here the crucial study of the energy dependence of the transfer rate from muonic hydrogen to oxygen ($\Lambda_{\mu p \rightarrow \mu O}$), precisely measured for the first time., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, published on Journal of Physics: Conference Series, proc. of International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems - PSAS2018. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1708.03172

Despite the significant progress achieved in recent years, the physical mechanisms underlying the origin of solar energetic particles (SEPs) are still a matter of debate. The complex nature of both particle acceleration and transport poses challenges to developing a universal picture of SEP events that encompasses both the low-energy (from tens of keV to a few hundreds of MeV) observations made by space-based instruments and the GeV particles detected by the worldwide network of neutron monitors in ground-level enhancements (GLEs). The high-precision data collected by the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) satellite experiment offer a unique opportunity to study the SEP fluxes between $\sim$80 MeV and a few GeV, significantly improving the characterization of the most energetic events. In particular, PAMELA can measure for the first time with good accuracy the spectral features at moderate and high energies, providing important constraints for current SEP models. In addition, the PAMELA observations allow the relationship between low and high-energy particles to be investigated, enabling a clearer view of the SEP origin. No qualitative distinction between the spectral shapes of GLE, sub-GLE and non-GLE events is observed, suggesting that GLEs are not a separate class, but are the subset of a continuous distribution of SEP events that are more intense at high energies. While the spectral forms found are to be consistent with diffusive shock acceleration theory, which predicts spectral rollovers at high energies that are attributed to particles escaping the shock region during acceleration, further work is required to explore the relative influences of acceleration and transport processes on SEP spectra., Comment: 26 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables

The cosmic-ray lithium and beryllium ($^{6}$Li, $^{7}$Li, $^{7}$Be, $^{9}$Be, $^{10}$Be) isotopic composition has been measured with the satellite-borne experiment PAMELA, which was launched into low-Earth orbit on-board the Resurs-DK1 satellite on June 15th 2006. The rare lithium and beryllium isotopes in cosmic rays are believed to originate mainly from the interaction of high energy carbon, nitrogen and oxygen nuclei with the interstellar medium (ISM), but also on "tertiary" interactions in the ISM (i.e. produced by further fragmentation of secondary beryllium and boron). In this paper the isotopic ratios $^{7}$Li/$^{6}$Li and $^{7}$Be/($^{9}$Be + $^{10}$Be) measured between 150 and 1100 MeV/n using two different detector systems from July 2006 to September 2014 will be presented., Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1512.06535

e-ASTROGAM is a concept for a breakthrough observatory space mission carrying a gamma-ray telescope dedicated to the study of the non-thermal Universe in the photon energy range from 0.15 MeV to 3 GeV. The lower energy limit can be pushed down to energies as low as 30 keV for gamma-ray burst detection with the calorimeter. The mission is based on an advanced space-proven detector technology, with unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolution, combined with remarkable polarimetric capability. Thanks to its performance in the MeV-GeV domain, substantially improving its predecessors, e-ASTROGAM will open a new window on the non-thermal Universe, making pioneering observations of the most powerful Galactic and extragalactic sources, elucidating the nature of their relativistic outflows and their effects on the surroundings. With a line sensitivity in the MeV energy range one to two orders of magnitude better than previous and current generation instruments, e-ASTROGAM will determine the origin of key isotopes fundamental for the understanding of supernova explosion and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The mission will be a major player of the multiwavelength, multimessenger time-domain astronomy of the 2030s, and provide unique data of significant interest to a broad astronomical community, complementary to powerful observatories such as LISA, LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, the Einstein Telescope and the Cosmic Explorer, IceCube-Gen2 and KM3NeT, SKA, ALMA, JWST, E-ELT, LSST, Athena, and the Cherenkov Telescope Array., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to the proceedings of the conference SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. v2: corrections of authors' affiliations

New results on the short-term galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity variation (Forbush decrease) in December 2006 measured by the PAMELA instrument are presented. Forbush decreases are sudden suppressions of the GCR intensities which are associated with the passage of interplanetary transients such as shocks and interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). Most of the past measurements of this phenomenon were carried out with ground-based detectors such as neutron monitors or muon telescopes. These techniques allow only the indirect detection of the overall GCR intensity over an integrated energy range. For the first time, thanks to the unique features of the PAMELA magnetic spectrometer, the Forbush decrease commencing on 2006 December 14, following a CME at the Sun on 2006 December 13 was studied in a wide rigidity range (0.4 - 20 GV) and for different species of GCRs detected directly in space. The daily averaged GCR proton intensity was used to investigate the rigidity dependence of the amplitude and the recovery time of the Forbush decrease. Additionally, for the first time, the temporal variations in the helium and electron intensities during a Forbush decrease were studied. Interestingly, the temporal evolutions of the helium and proton intensities during the Forbush decrease were found in good agreement, while the low rigidity electrons (< 2 GV) displayed a faster recovery. This difference in the electron recovery is interpreted as a charge-sign dependence introduced by drift motions experienced by the GCRs during their propagation through the heliosphere.

The PAMELA cosmic ray detector was launched on June 15th 2006 on board the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite, and during ten years of nearly continuous data-taking it has observed new interesting features in cosmic rays (CRs). In a decade of operation it has provided plenty of scientific data, covering different issues related to cosmic ray physics. Its discoveries might change our basic vision of the mechanisms of production, acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. The antimatter measurements, focus of the experiment, have set strong constraints to the nature of Dark Matter. Search for signatures of more exotic processes (such as the ones involving Strange Quark Matter) was also pursued. Furthermore, the long-term operation of the instrument had allowed a constant monitoring of the solar activity during its maximum and a detailed and prolonged study of the solar modulation, improving the comprehension of the heliosphere mechanisms. PAMELA had also measured the radiation environment around the Earth, and it detected for the first time the presence of an antiproton radiation belt surrounding our planet. The operation of Resurs-DK1 was terminated in 2016. In this article we will review the main features of the PAMELA instrument and its constructing phases. Main part of the article will be dedicated to the summary of the most relevant PAMELA results over a decade of observation

Protons detected by the PAMELA experiment in the period 2006-2014 have been analyzed in the energy range between 0.40-50 GV to explore possible periodicities besides the well known solar undecennial modulation. An unexpected clear and regular feature has been found at rigidities below 15 GV, with a quasi-periodicity of $\sim$450 days. A possible Jovian origin of this periodicity has been investigated in different ways. The results seem to favor a small but not negligible contribution to cosmic rays from the Jovian magnetosphere, even if other explanations cannot be excluded., Comment: article 4 figures, 1 table

Precise measurements of the time-dependent intensity of the low energy ($<50$ GeV) galactic cosmic rays are fundamental to test and improve the models which describe their propagation inside the heliosphere. Especially, data spanning different solar activity periods, i.e. from minimum to maximum, are needed to achieve comprehensive understanding of such physical phenomenon. The minimum phase between the 23$^{rd}$ and the 24$^{th}$ solar cycles was peculiarly long, extending up to the beginning of 2010 and followed by the maximum phase, reached during early 2014. In this paper, we present proton differential spectra measured from January 2010 to February 2014 by the PAMELA experiment. For the first time the galactic cosmic ray proton intensity was studied over a wide energy range (0.08-50 GeV) by a single apparatus from a minimum to a maximum period of solar activity. The large statistics allowed the time variation to be investigated on a nearly monthly basis. Data were compared and interpreted in the context of a state-of-the-art three-dimensional model describing the galactic cosmic rays propagation through the heliosphere., Comment: article, 4 figures. Accepted for publication on The Astrophysical Journal Letters (January 2018)

e-ASTROGAM (enhanced ASTROGAM) is a breakthrough Observatory space mission, with a detector composed by a Silicon tracker, a calorimeter, and an anticoincidence system, dedicated to the study of the non-thermal Universe in the photon energy range from 0.3 MeV to 3 GeV - the lower energy limit can be pushed to energies as low as 150 keV for the tracker, and to 30 keV for calorimetric detection. The mission is based on an advanced space-proven detector technology, with unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolution, combined with polarimetric capability. Thanks to its performance in the MeV-GeV domain, substantially improving its predecessors, e-ASTROGAM will open a new window on the non-thermal Universe, making pioneering observations of the most powerful Galactic and extragalactic sources, elucidating the nature of their relativistic outflows and their effects on the surroundings. With a line sensitivity in the MeV energy range one to two orders of magnitude better than previous generation instruments, e-ASTROGAM will determine the origin of key isotopes fundamental for the understanding of supernova explosion and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The mission will provide unique data of significant interest to a broad astronomical community, complementary to powerful observatories such as LIGO-Virgo-GEO600-KAGRA, SKA, ALMA, E-ELT, TMT, LSST, JWST, Athena, CTA, IceCube, KM3NeT, and LISA., Comment: Published on Journal of High Energy Astrophysics (Elsevier)

Extraterrestrial gamma-ray astronomy is now a source of new knowledge in the fields of astrophysics, cosmic-ray physics, and the nature of dark matter. The next absolutely necessary step in the development of extraterrestrial high-energy gamma-ray astronomy is the improvement of the physical and technical characteristics of gamma-ray telescopes, especially the angular and energy resolutions. Such a new generation telescope will be GAMMA-400. GAMMA-400, currently developing gamma-ray telescope, together with X-ray telescope will precisely and detailed observe in the energy range of ~20 MeV to ~1000 GeV and 3-30 keV the Galactic plane, especially, Galactic Center, Fermi Bubbles, Crab, Cygnus, etc. The GAMMA- 400 will operate in the highly elliptic orbit continuously for a long time with the unprecedented angular (~0.01{\deg} at E{\gamma} = 100 GeV) and energy (~1% at E{\gamma} = 100 GeV) resolutions better than the Fermi-LAT, as well as ground gamma-ray telescopes, by a factor of 5-10. GAMMA-400 will permit to resolve gamma rays from annihilation or decay of dark matter particles, identify many discrete sources (many of which are variable), to clarify the structure of extended sources, to specify the data on the diffuse emission., Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, ICRC2017

In order to extend the direct observation of high-energy cosmic rays up to the PeV region, highly performing calorimeters with large geometrical acceptance and high energy resolution are required. Within the constraint of the total mass of the apparatus, crucial for a space mission, the calorimeters must be optimized with respect to their geometrical acceptance, granularity and absorption depth. CaloCube is a homogeneous calorimeter with cubic geometry, to maximise the acceptance being sensitive to particles from every direction in space; granularity is obtained by relying on small cubic scintillating crystals as active elements. Different scintillating materials have been studied. The crystal sizes and spacing among them have been optimized with respect to the energy resolution. A prototype, based on CsI(Tl) cubic crystals, has been constructed and tested with particle beams. Some results of tests with different beams at CERN are presented., Comment: Seven pages, seven pictures. Proceedings of INSTR17 Novosibirsk

We present a measurements of electron and positron fluxes below the geomagnetic cutoff rigidity in wide energy range from 50 MeV to several GeV by the PAMELA magnetic spectrometer. The instrument was launched on June 15th 2006 on-board the Resurs-DK satellite on low orbit with 70 degrees inclination and altitude between 350 and 600 km. The procedure of trajectories calculations in the geomagnetic field separates stably trapped and albedo components produced in interactions of cosmic ray protons with the residual atmosphere from galactic cosmic rays. Features of spatial distributions of secondary electrons and positrons in the near Earth space, including the South Atlantic Anomaly, were investigated., Comment: XXV ECRS 2016 Proceedings - eConf C16-09-04.3

The main goal for the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope mission is to perform a sensitive search for signatures of dark matter particles in high-energy gamma-ray emission. Measurements will also concern the following scientific goals: detailed study of the Galactic center region, investigation of point and extended gamma-ray sources, studies of the energy spectra of Galactic and extragalactic diffuse emissions. To perform these measurements the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope possesses unique physical characteristics for energy range from ~20 MeV to ~1000 GeV in comparison with previous and current space and ground-based experiments. The major advantage of the GAMMA-400 instrument is excellent angular and energy resolutions for gamma-rays above 10 GeV. The gamma-ray telescope angular and energy resolutions for the main aperture at 100-GeV gamma rays are ~0.01 deg and ~1%, respectively. The special goal is to improve physical characteristics in the low- energy range from ~20 MeV to 100 MeV. Minimizing the amount of dead matter in the telescope aperture allows us to obtain the angular and energy resolutions better in this range than in current space missions. The gamma-ray telescope angular resolution at 50-MeV gamma rays is better than 5 deg and energy resolution is ~10%. We report the method providing these results., Comment: XXV ECRS 2016 Proceedings - eConf C16-09-04.3

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., Comment: Accepted for publication in Advances in Space Research, 2016. 21 pages, 7 figures

Cosmic-ray electrons and positrons are a unique probe of the propagation of cosmic rays as well as of the nature and distribution of particle sources in our Galaxy. Recent measurements of these particles are challenging our basic understanding of the mechanisms of production, acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays. Particularly striking are the differences between the low energy results collected by the space-borne PAMELA and AMS-02 experiments and older measurements pointing to sign-charge dependence of the solar modulation of cosmic-ray spectra. The PAMELA experiment has been measuring the time variation of the positron and electron intensity at Earth from July 2006 to December 2015 covering the period for the minimum of solar cycle 23 (2006-2009) till the middle of the maximum of solar cycle 24, through the polarity reversal of the heliospheric magnetic field which took place between 2013 and 2014. The positron to electron ratio measured in this time period clearly shows a sign-charge dependence of the solar modulation introduced by particle drifts. These results provide the first clear and continuous observation of how drift effects on solar modulation have unfolded with time from solar minimum to solar maximum and their dependence on the particle rigidity and the cyclic polarity of the solar magnetic field., Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures

The high precision measurement of the hyperfine splitting of the muonic-hydrogen atom ground state with pulsed and intense muon beam requires careful technological choices both in the construction of a gas target and of the detectors. In June 2014, the pressurized gas target of the FAMU experiment was exposed to the low energy pulsed muon beam at the RIKEN RAL muon facility. The objectives of the test were the characterization of the target, the hodoscope and the X-ray detectors. The apparatus consisted of a beam hodoscope and X-rays detectors made with high purity Germanium and Lanthanum Bromide crystals. In this paper the experimental setup is described and the results of the detector characterization are presented., Comment: 22 pages, 14 figures, published and open access on JINST

Data from the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) satellite experiment were used to measure the geomagnetic cutoff for high-energy (>80 MeV) protons during the 14 December 2006 geomagnetic storm. The variations of the cutoff latitude as a function of rigidity were studied on relatively short timescales, corresponding to spacecraft orbital periods (94 min). Estimated cutoff values were compared with those obtained by means of a trajectory tracing approach based on a dynamical empirical modeling of the Earth's magnetosphere. We found significant variations in the cutoff latitude, with a maximum suppression of about 7 deg at lowest rigidities during the main phase of the storm. The observed reduction in the geomagnetic shielding and its temporal evolution were related to the changes in the magnetospheric configuration, investigating the role of interplanetary magnetic field, solar wind and geomagnetic parameters. PAMELA's results represent the first direct measurement of geomagnetic cutoffs for protons with kinetic energies in the sub-GeV and GeV region., Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures and 1 table. Accepted for publication in Space Weather

The cosmic-ray hydrogen and helium ($^1$H, $^2$H, $^3$He, $^4$He) isotopic composition has been measured with the satellite-borne experiment PAMELA, which was launched into low-Earth orbit on-board the Resurs-DK1 satellite on June 15th 2006. The rare isotopes $^2$H and $^3$He in cosmic rays are believed to originate mainly from the interaction of high energy protons and helium with the galactic interstellar medium. The isotopic composition was measured between 100 and 1100 MeV/n for hydrogen and between 100 and 1400 MeV/n for helium isotopes using two different detector systems over the 23rd solar minimum from July 2006 to December 2007., Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures, Accepted for publication on the Astrophysical Journal

Precision measurements of the electron component in the cosmic radiation provide important information about the origin and propagation of cosmic rays in the Galaxy not accessible from the study of the cosmic-ray nuclear components due to their differing diffusion and energy-loss processes. However, when measured near Earth, the effects of propagation and modulation of galactic cosmic rays in the heliosphere, particularly significant for energies up to at least 30 GeV, must be properly taken into account. In this paper the electron (e^-) spectra measured by PAMELA down to 70 MeV from July 2006 to December 2009 over six-months time intervals are presented. Fluxes are compared with a state-of-the-art three-dimensional model of solar modulation that reproduces the observations remarkably well., Comment: 40 pages, 18 figures, 1 table

Data from the PAMELA satellite experiment were used to measure the geomagnetic cutoff for high-energy ($\gtrsim$ 80 MeV) protons during the solar particle events on 2006 December 13 and 14. The variations of the cutoff latitude as a function of rigidity were studied on relatively short timescales, corresponding to single spacecraft orbits (about 94 minutes). Estimated cutoff values were cross-checked with those obtained by means of a trajectory tracing approach based on dynamical empirical modeling of the Earth's magnetosphere. We find significant variations in the cutoff latitude, with a maximum suppression of about 6 deg for $\sim$80 MeV protons during the main phase of the storm. The observed reduction in the geomagnetic shielding and its temporal evolution were compared with the changes in the magnetosphere configuration, investigating the role of IMF, solar wind and geomagnetic (Kp, Dst and Sym-H indexes) variables and their correlation with PAMELA cutoff results., Comment: Conference: The 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015), 30 July - 6 August, 2015, The Hague, The Netherlands, Volume: PoS(ICRC2015)287

Data from the PAMELA satellite experiment were used to perform a detailed measurement of under-cutoff protons at low Earth orbits. On the basis of a trajectory tracing approach using a realistic description of the magnetosphere, protons were classified into geomagnetically trapped and re-entrant albedo. The former include stably-trapped protons in the South Atlantic Anomaly, which were analyzed in the framework of the adiabatic theory, investigating energy spectra, spatial and angular distributions; results were compared with the predictions of the AP8 and the PSB97 empirical trapped models. The albedo protons were classified into quasi-trapped, concentrating in the magnetic equatorial region, and un-trapped, spreading over all latitudes and including both short-lived (precipitating) and long-lived (pseudo-trapped) components. Features of the penumbra region around the geomagnetic cutoff were investigated as well. PAMELA observations significantly improve the characterization of the high energy proton populations in near Earth orbits., Comment: Conference: The 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015), 30 July - 6 August, 2015, The Hague, The Netherlands, Volume: PoS(ICRC2015)288

The PAMELA satellite experiment is providing first direct measurements of Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) with energies from about 80 MeV to several GeV in near-Earth space, bridging the low energy data by other space-based instruments and the Ground Level Enhancement (GLE) data by the worldwide network of neutron monitors. Its unique observational capabilities include the possibility of measuring the flux angular distribution and thus investigating possible anisotropies. This work reports the analysis methods developed to estimate the SEP energy spectra as a function of the particle pitch-angle with respect to the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) direction. The crucial ingredient is provided by an accurate simulation of the asymptotic exposition of the PAMELA apparatus, based on a realistic reconstruction of particle trajectories in the Earth's magnetosphere. As case study, the results for the May 17, 2012 event are presented., Comment: Conference: The 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015), 30 July - 6 August, 2015, The Hague, The Netherlands, Volume: PoS(ICRC2015)085

The PAMELA detector was launched on board of the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite on June 15, 2006. Data collected during the first four years have been used to search for large-scale anisotropies in the arrival directions of cosmic-ray positrons. The PAMELA experiment allows for a full sky investigation, with sensitivity to global anisotropies in any angular window of the celestial sphere. Data samples of positrons in the rigidity range 10 GV $\leq$ R $\leq$ 200 GV were analyzed. This article discusses the method and the results of the search for possible local sources through analysis of anisotropy in positron data compared to the proton background. The resulting distributions of arrival directions are found to be isotropic. Starting from the angular power spectrum, a dipole anisotropy upper limit \delta = 0.166 at 95% C.L. is determined. Additional search is carried out around the Sun. No evidence of an excess correlated with that direction was found., Comment: The value of the dipole anisotropy upper limit has been changed. The method is correct but there was a miscalculation in the relative formula

The GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope with excellent angular and energy resolutions is designed to search for signatures of dark matter in the fluxes of gamma-ray emission and electrons + positrons. Precision investigations of gamma-ray emission from Galactic Center, Crab, Vela, Cygnus, Geminga, and other regions will be performed, as well as diffuse gamma-ray emission, along with measurements of high-energy electron + positron and nuclei fluxes. Furthermore, it will study gamma-ray bursts and gamma-ray emission from the Sun during periods of solar activity. The energy range of GAMMA-400 is expected to be from ~20 MeV up to TeV energies for gamma rays, up to 20 TeV for electrons + positrons, and up to 10E15 eV for cosmic-ray nuclei. For high-energy gamma rays with energy from 10 to 100 GeV, the GAMMA-400 angular resolution improves from 0.1{\deg} to ~0.01{\deg} and energy resolution from 3% to ~1%; the proton rejection factor is ~5x10E5. GAMMA-400 will be installed onboard the Russian space observatory., Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, submitted to the proceedings of ICRC2015

We present a precise measurement of downward-going albedo proton fluxes for kinetic energy above $\sim$ 70 MeV performed by the PAMELA experiment at an altitude between 350 and 610 km. On the basis of a trajectory tracing simulation, the analyzed protons were classified into quasi-trapped, concentrating in the magnetic equatorial region, and un-trapped spreading over all latitudes, including both short-lived (precipitating) and long-lived (pseudo-trapped) components. In addition, features of the penumbra region around the geomagnetic cutoff were investigated in detail. PAMELA results significantly improve the characterization of the high energy albedo proton populations at low Earth orbits., Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics

The GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope is intended to measure the fluxes of gamma rays and cosmic-ray electrons and positrons in the energy range from 100 MeV to several TeV. Such measurements concern with the following scientific goals: search for signatures of dark matter, investigation of gamma-ray point and extended sources, studies of the energy spectra of Galactic and extragalactic diffuse emission, studies of gamma-ray bursts and gamma-ray emission from the active Sun, as well as high-precision measurements of spectra of high-energy electrons and positrons, protons, and nuclei up to the knee. The main components of cosmic rays are protons and helium nuclei, whereas the part of lepton component in the total flux is ~10E-3 for high energies. In present paper, the capability of the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope to distinguish electrons and positrons from protons in cosmic rays is investigated. The individual contribution to the proton rejection is studied for each detector system of the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope. Using combined information from all detector systems allow us to provide the proton rejection from electrons with a factor of ~4x10E5 for vertical incident particles and ~3x10E5 for particles with initial inclination of 30 degrees. The calculations were performed for the electron energy range from 50 GeV to 1 TeV., Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Advances and Space Research