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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Transport of cosmic ray nuclei in various materials

Cosmic-ray heavy ions have become a concern in space radiation effects analyses. Heavy ions rapidly deposit energy and create dense ionization trails as they traverse materials. Collection of the free charge disrupts the operation of microelectronic circuits. This effect, called the single-event upset, can cause a loss of digital data. Passage of high linear energy transfer particles through the eyes has been observed by Apollo astronauts. These heavy ions have great radiobiological effectiveness and are the primary risk factor for leukemia induction on a manned Mars mission. Models of the transport of heavy cosmic-ray nuclei through materials depend heavily on our understanding of the cosmic-ray environment, nuclear spallation cross sections, and computer transport codes. Our group has initiated and pursued the development of a full capability for modeling these transport processes. A recent review of this ongoing effort is presented in Ref. 5. In this paper, we discuss transport methods and present new results comparing the attenuation of cosmic rays in various materials.

NASA Discipline Radiation Health↗
NASA NTRS2013

All-Particle Cosmic Ray Energy Spectrum Measured with 26 Icetop Stations

We report on a measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum with the IceTop air shower array, thesurface component of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. The data used in this analysiswere taken between June and October, 2007, with 26 surface stations operational at that time, corresponding to about one third of the final array. The fiducial area used in this analysis was 0.122 square kilometers.The analysis investigated the energy spectrum from 1 to 100 PeV measured for three different zenithangle ranges between 0 and 46. Because of the isotropy of cosmic rays in this energy range the spectrafrom all zenith angle intervals have to agree. The cosmic-ray energy spectrum was determined under differentassumptions on the primary mass composition. Good agreement of spectra in the three zenithangle ranges was found for the assumption of pure proton and a simple two-component model. Forzenith angles theta less than 30 deg., where the mass dependence is smallest, the knee in the cosmic ray energy spectrumwas observed at about 4 PeV, with a spectral index above the knee of about -3.1. Moreover, an indicationof a flattening of the spectrum above 22 PeV was observed.

icetop↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Timed Collections in the NASA Cosmic Dust Aircraft Collected Particle Collection Including Previous Collectors

The NASA Cosmic Dust Collections includes a collection of interplanetary particles gathered using high-altitude aircraft (the Aircraft Collected Particle collection, or ACP). These particles include cosmic-origin particles as well as particles of terrestrial origin such as volcanic ash, solid rocket motor effluent, and terrestrial dust. The cosmic-origin dust comes from two principal sources - material originating from the diffuse interplanetary background which are uncoupled from the orbits of larger bodies, and cometary-origin particles which are dynamically coupled with the orbits of their parent bodies to form dust streams. These dust stream particles generate short-lived, annual meteor showers and are important because, if they can be identified as originating from a given dust stream, they can be studied in the laboratory as samples of a specific comet. Collecting these particles requires dedicated ACP flights which are timed to coincide with a specific meteor shower. These “timed collections” hold the promise of providing samples from a suite of comets including those never visited by spacecraft [1-3]. This abstract describes a recent (Dec 2020) timed collection attempt, lists previous timed collections with collected particles available for request from the NASA Cosmic Dust Collections, as well as listing ACP collectors which were collected when no meteor showers were active for potential use as control samples.

cosmic dust↗
NASA NTRS1972

The physical theory of one dimensional galactic cosmic-ray propagation in the atmosphere

An analytical theory of atmospheric cosmic-ray propagation is developed based on a phenomenological model of hadron-nucleus collisions. This model correctly predicts the sea level cosmic-ray nucleon, pion and muon spectra, the cosmic-ray ionization profile in the atmosphere, and neutron flux and density profiles in the atmosphere. It is concluded that the large scale properties of atmospheric cosmic-rays can be accurately predicted on the basis of a nucleonic cascade with all secondaries mediated by pion production. Implications for energy independence of cross sections, the recent 70 GeV results from Serpukhov, and nucleonic relaxation rates in the atmosphere are discussed.

Obrien, K.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Cosmic-ray decreases and the occurrence of solar flares.

Results are presented of a more extensive study of the relationship between the occurrence of cosmic-ray decreases and solar flares. In particular, it is considered whether it is possible to relate all large cosmic-ray decreases to flare-producing regions on the sun, and whether there is any compelling evidence relating the time of a large flare and the occurrence of a decrease to substantiate the long-standing hypothesis that at least some large cosmic-ray decreases are due to the effects of a single energetic flare. It is concluded that existing flare evidence significantly favors the hypothesis that all large cosmic-ray decreases can be accounted for by interplanetary structure associated with active flare-producing regions.

Ballif, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Consistency of cosmic-ray source abudances with explosive nucleosynthesis

A model was examined in which the cosmic ray abundances of elements from C to Fe are consistent with explosive nucleosynthesis. The observed abundance of cosmic rays near the earth, cosmic ray source abundance, and solar system abundance are discussed along with the ratios of cosmic ray sources to the solar system abundances.

Kozlovsky, B.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Radial gradients of galactic cosmic ray protons and helium nuclei

Variation of the cosmic ray intensity as a function away from the sun and its radial derivative is studied by plotting satellite cosmic ray measurements against sea level neutron monitor data. Results show that the solar modulation cavity extends well beyond 2 AU and that irregularities in the sun's magnetic field are carried outward radially by the solar wind, thus sweeping low energy cosmic rays out of the solar system and at the same time cooling cosmic rays reaching the earth.

Teegarden, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

NASTRAN distribution through COSMIC

The NASTRAN program package is one of the most important in terms of size and use in the COSMIC inventory at the University of Georgia. A brief history of the COSMIC facility as it relates to the NASTRAN program package is presented, followed by a discussion of the NASTRAN disseminations. COSMIC, which is the acronym for the Computer Software Management and Information Center, is operated by the University of Georgia's Computer Center under contract to NASA. The purpose of COSMIC is to make available to the public the computer software and documentation developed as part of the NASA program. It is, perhaps, best described as a clearinghouse for the NASA-sponsored computer software, although the functions specified under the contract go much further than simply duplicating the programs and documentation for distribution. A sizeable portion of the workscope involves screening the programs to insure that they are free of syntax errors, that all necessary subroutines are present, and that the documentation includes sufficiently detailed instructions to allow purchasers to install and operate the program or system.

Park, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Measurement of cosmic ray positron and negatron spectra between 50 and 800 MeV

A balloon-borne magnetic spectrometer was used to measure the spectra of cosmic ray positrons and negatrons at energies between 50 and 800 MeV. Comparisons of the separate positron and negatron spectra observed near the earth with their expected intensities in interstellar space can be used to investigate the complex (and variable) interaction of galactic cosmic rays with the expanding solar wind. The present measurements, which have established finite values or upper limits for the positron and negatron spectral between 50 and 800 MeV, have confirmed earlier evidence for the existence of a dominant component of negatrons from primary sources in the galaxy. The present results are shown to be consistent with the hypothesis that the positron component is in fact mainly attributable to collisions between cosmic ray nuclei and the interstellar gas. The estimate of the absolute intensities confirm the indications from neutron monitors that in 1972 the interplanetary cosmic ray intensities were already recovering toward their high levels observed in 1965.

Daugherty, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1973

On the manganese content of cosmic flakes from deep-sea sediments

Cosmic flakes belong to the category of cosmic microparticles. They occur together with cosmic spherules in sediments. These flakes appear to represent ablation products of iron meteorites burnt away during the passage of a meteorite through the atmosphere by friction against air molecules. Microprobe analyses of flakes from deep sea deposits proved the particles to consist of magnetite which in most cases had been altered into maghemite in the outer zones. This is in agreement with the assumption that they represent fragments of fusion crust of iron meteorites. Most of the flakes, however, contained a small percentage of manganese. This element is not a common constituent of iron meteorites. An attempt is made to explain the presence of manganese in flakes and its absence in cosmic spherules.

Utech, K.↗
NASA NTRS1973

A cosmochemical view of cosmic rays and solar particles

The composition of cosmic rays and solar particles is reviewed with emphasis on the question of whether they are representative samples of Galactic and solar matter. The composition of solar particles changes with energy and from flare to flare. A strong excess of heavy elements at energies below a few MeV/nuc decreases with energy, and at energies above 15 MeV/nuc the composition of solar particles resembles that of galactic cosmic rays somewhat better than that of the solar atmosphere. The elements Ne through Pb have remarkably similar abundances in cosmic ray sources and in the matter of the solar system. The lighter elements are depleted in cosmic rays, whereas U and Th may be enriched or not, depending on whether the meteoritic or solar abundance of Th is used.

Price, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Cosmic ray scintillations. II - General theory of interplanetary scintillations

The motion of charged particles in a stochastic magnetic field with nonzero mean is considered via a generalized quasi-linear expansion of Liouville's equation. The general result is an equation relating cosmic ray scintillations to magnetic fluctuations and to cosmic ray gradients. The resonant interaction between particles and the random magnetic field is considered in detail, and the effect of nonlinear terms in the equations is considered. The nonlinear terms are important in damping out initial conditions and in determining conditions near cyclotron resonances. The application of the theory to the propagation of cosmic rays during quiet times in interplanetary space is considered. It is concluded that cosmic ray scintillations in interplanetary space may provide useful information about interplanetary particles and fields and also about nonlinear plasma interactions.

Owens, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

International Cosmic Ray Conference, 13th, University of Denver, Denver, Colo., August 17-30, 1973, Proceedings. Volumes 1 & 2

Topics discussed include diffuse gamma rays, gamma ray sources (in particular, the Crab Nebula and Crab Pulsar), X-ray sources, isotopic and nuclear composition, spectra of nuclei, searches for antinuclei, studies of VH and VVH nuclei, measurements of electrons and positrons, the spectra of high-energy electrons, cosmic gamma rays, cosmic ray sources, interplanetary radial gradients, the theory and observation of electron modulation, short-period cosmic ray intensity variations, atmospheric and coupling effects on neutron monitors and muon telescopes, secondary particles and photons in the atmosphere, harmonics of diurnal variations, geomagnetic effects and cutoffs, planetary and interplanetary effects, solar particle access observations, long-term cosmic ray intensity modulation by solar activity and interplanetary effects, Forbush decreases, modulation and anisotropy of low-energy particles, the theory and models of solar particle propagation, solar flare particle composition, and relativistic solar particles. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1974

Abundances relative to carbon of the elements silicon to nickel in the galactic cosmic radiation

Discussion of the abundances relative to carbon of the elements from silicon to nickel in the galactic cosmic radiation as measured by cosmic ray telescopes on the IMP-5 and IMP-7 satellites, in energy ranges between 40 and 450 MeV/nucleon depending on the species. The IMP-7 measurements are still to be considered only preliminary and do not yet fully exploit the resolution capabilities of that instrument. Calculations of the abundances to be expected in this charge range if the cosmic radiation traverses 6 g/sq cm of material after acceleration are presented, and the consequences which follow both for propagation models and for the chemical composition of the sources of the cosmic radiation are discussed.

Cartwright, B.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A hysteresis effect in cosmic ray modulation

The rigidity dependence is investigated in the modulation of cosmic ray protons and alphas at intermediate (2-13 Gv) rigidities during the declines and recoveries of the cosmic ray flux near cosmic ray minimum. The results include the finding that sudden changes in the modulation of the primary cosmic rays are initiated by large solar particle outflow and begin as type I Forbush decreases. Typically, the modulation spectrum becomes flatter at intermediate rigidity below 13 Gv and steeper at rigidities above 13 Gv during early recovery.

Verschell, H. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Cosmic ray experimental observations

The current experimental situation in cosmic ray studies is discussed, with special emphasis on the development of new detector systems. Topics covered are the techniques for particle identification, energy measurements, gas Cerenkov counters, magnet spectrometers, ionization spectrometers, track detectors, nuclear emulsions, multiparameter analysis using arrays of detectors, the Goddard ionization spectrometer, charge spectra, relative abundances, isotope composition, antinuclei in cosmic rays, electrons, the measurement of cosmic ray arrival directions, and the prehistory of cosmic rays.

Balasubrahmanyan, V. K.↗
NASA NTRS1974

An investigation of the cosmic radiation in the vicinity of the moon on the Luna 10, 11, and 12 artificial lunar satellites

Research on the primary cosmic radiation and solar cosmic rays from the Luna 10, 11, and 12 artificial lunar satellites is reviewed. Data on the vertical distribution of cosmic rays above the moon's surface are presented, and the albedo for the primary radiation is determined. The fluxes of electrons with energies from 30 to 300 keV were registered in the solar cosmic rays. Rapid variations of the electron flux were observed. The angular distributions of 0.5-10 MeV protons moving together with the corpuscular streams responsible for Forbush decreases were investigated.

Grigorov, N. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The spectrum of cosmic electron with energies between 6 and 100 GeV

This experiment was carried out during three balloon flights which provided a total exposure of 3500 + or - 60 sq m sec sterad at an average depth of 4.8 g/sq cm The detector, in which the development of cascade showers in a 33.7 rl absorber was sampled by 10 scintillation counters and 216 Geiger-Muller tubes, was calibrated at the Cornell Electron Synchrotron, the separation of cosmic electrons from the nuclear background was confirmed by extensive analysis of data from the flights, from the calibration and from ground level exposure. The spectral intensity of primary cosmic ray electrons were found in particles/sq m sec sterad GeV. Similarly, the ground level spectrum of secondary cosmic ray electrons was also found. The steepness of the spectrum of cosmic electrons relative to that of nuclei implies one of the following conclusions: either the injection spectrum of electrons is steeper than that of nuclei, or the electron spectrum has been steepened by Compton/synchrotron losses in the energy range covered by the experiment.

Meegan, C. A.↗