A new measurement of cosmic-ray composition at the knee

被引：19

作者：

Boothby, K ^{[1
]}

Chantell, M ^{[1
]}

Green, KD ^{[1
]}

Kieda, DB ^{[1
]}

Knapp, J ^{[1
]}

Larsen, CG ^{[1
]}

Swordy, SP ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] UNIV UTAH,DEPT PHYS,SALT LAKE CITY,UT 84112

来源：

ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL | 1997年 / 491卷 / 01期

关键词：

cosmic rays; instrumentation; detectors; ISM; abundances; supernova remnants;

D O I：

10.1086/311049

中图分类号：

P1 [天文学];

学科分类号：

0704 ;

摘要：

The Dual Imaging Cerenkov Experiment (DICE) was designed and operated for making elemental composition measurements of cosmic rays near the knee of the spectrum at several PeV. Here we present the first results using this experiment from the measurement of the average location of the depth of shower maximum, (X-max, in the atmosphere as a function of particle energy. The value of (X-max) near the instrument threshold of similar to 0.1 PeV is consistent with expectations from previous direct measurements. At higher energies, there is little change in composition up to similar to 5 PeV. Above this energy, (X-max is deeper than expected for a constant elemental composition, which implies that the overall elemental composition is becoming lighter above the knee region. These results disagree with the idea that cosmic rays should become on average heavier above the knee. Instead, they suggest a transition to a qualitatively different population of particles above 5 PeV.

引用

页码：L35 / L38

页数：4

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