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A propagation model based on either a leaky box or a slab pathlength distribution and using the currently accepted nuclear parameters has been constructed for the charge range from 26 to 83. The predictions of this model have been examined to identify characteristic features in the observed charge spectrum capable of discriminating between various possible source compositions and different pathlength distributions.
During 1980 a modified version of our cosmic ray isotope detector was calibrated at the Bevalac. The fragmentation of iron ions in polyethylene (CH2) and Lucite (O5H8O2) has been studied at beam energies of 710 MeV/nuc and 1050 MeV/nuc. The total and partial charge changing cross-sections for the 1050 MeV/nuc beam (an average of 940 MeV/nuc in the target) are reported here and compared with other reported values.
(Previously announced in STAR as N82-16109)
(Previously announced in STAR as N82-22137)
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A directly accessible sample of matter which originates outside the solar system is provided by galactic cosmic rays. The present investigation is primarily concerned with progress related to questions raised regarding the similarity or difference between solar system matter and matter coming from outside the solar system. The investigation takes into account U.S. contributions to this topic over the period from 1979 to 1982. The cosmic ray (CR) abundances of all the elements from H to Ni (atomic number Z=1 to 28) have now been measured. Cosmic ray source (CRS) and solar system (SS) elemental compositions are listed in a table, and the ratio of CRS to SS abundance for 21 elements is shown in a graph. There is now clear evidence from CR isotope studies that the nucleosynthesis of CRS material has differed from that of SS material.
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The observations of comet P/Holmes 1892III, exhibiting two 8 to 10 magnitude bursts, were carefully analyzed. The phenomena are consistent with the grazing encounter of a small satellite with the nucleus. The grazing encounter produced, besides the first great burst, an active area on the nucleus, which was rotating retrograde with a period of 16.3 hr and inclination nearly 180 deg. After the final encounter, the spin period was essentially unchanged, but two areas became active, separated some 164 deg in longitude on the nucleus. After the first burst the total magnitude fell less than two magnitudes, while the nuclear region remained diffuse or complex, rarely if ever showing a stellar appearance. The fading was much more rapid after the second burst (barely naked eye at maximum) while the nucleus frequently stellar after the first day. It seems reasonable to conclude that the grazing encounter distributed a volume of large chunks in the neighborhood of the nucleus, maintaining activity for weeks.
The design and testing of ultraheavy-nucleus pulse detectors based on pyroelectric materials are reported, extending the preliminary findings of Tuzzolino (1983) and Simpson and Tuzzolino (1983). Uranium-ion beams of about 240 MeV/u are detected by a 39.5-micron-thick Si detector, degraded to about 175 MeV/u by Al absorbers, and then strike 700-micron-thick polyvinylidene fluoride or 1000-micron-thick LiTaO3 pyroelectric samples. Both detector systems are connected to a coincidence circuit via charge-sensitive preamplifiers, shaping amplifiers with 30-microsec effective time constants, and electronic discriminators. Sample spectra are shown, and the pulse heights measured are found to agree with theoretical calculations to within a factor of about 2. The response of the pyroelectric materials is found to be unaffected by exposure to about 10 Mrad of 2-7-MeV/u heavy ion radiation. With further study and improvement of the detection sensitivity, devices of this type could be applied to large-area space measurements of low ultraheavy-ion fluxes.
The isotopes considered range from He to Mg (Z from 2 to 12). A more accurate value of the Ne-22/Ne-20 ratio is obtained by extending the energy interval for isotope analysis. A significant difference persists between the Ne-22/Ne-20 ratio in this flare and that for the solar wind. How the sun can apparently emit two distinct isotopic components remains a question. Although relatively little is known about the solar wind isotopic composition, it does not appear that the solar wind isotopes have been altered by a simple mass-dependent fractionation process. Reference is made to models that have been proposed which might produce selective enhancements.
The luminosity dependence of the equivalent width of CIV in active galaxies, the 'Baldwin' effect, is shown to be a consequence of a luminosity dependent ionization parameter. This law also agrees with the lack of a 'Baldwin' effect in Ly alpha or other hydrogen lines. A fit to the available data gives a weak indication that the mean covering factor decreases with increasing luminosity, consistent with the inference from X-ray observations. The effects of continuum shape and density on various line ratios of interest are discussed. Previously announced in STAR as N83-35975
Individual isotopes of the elements He, C, N, O, Ne, and Mg with energies from 5 to 50 MeV per nucleon have been resolved in energetic flare particles during the September 23, 1978 solar flare event. In addition, an earlier determination of Ne-22/Ne-20 in this flare was improved on by extending the energy interval for isotope analysis. A significant difference between the isotopic composition of solar flare and solar wind neon is found, which is compared to similar evidence from studies of solar energetic particles implanted in lunar and meteoritic samples. Although limited by statistics, the measurements of He, C, N, O, and Mg isotopes are consistent with typical isotopic abundances found in other samples of solar system material. The ensemble of these results is used to test for the possibility of mass-dependent fractionation during solar flare acceleration and propagation.
The development and utilization of an optimized computer program to analyze orbital stabilization by repeated calculations is presented. The stability of comets in the Opik-Oort Cloud about the Sun against perturbations by the Galactic center involve the same basic type of calculation. The supposed persistence of these bodies in orbits over the life of the solar system, depends upon the stability of bodies of negligible mass in orbits around a body whose mass is small compared to the central mass about which they revolve. The question remains of preferential orientation of extremely eccentric comet orbits, possibly to explain the asymmetry observed among new comet motions. A third application of the computing programs is suited to meteoroids that may exist in orbits about asteroids and that may endanger science spacecraft making flybys too near to asteroids. As in the double-comet case, solar activity and solar gravitational perturbations limit the attendance to an asteroid by small meteroids in their orbits. It is found that the mass distances planned for asteroid fly-bys are adequate.
The relative abundance of nuclear species measured in cosmic rays at Earth has often been interpreted with the simple leaky box model. For this model to be consistent an essential requirement is that the escape length does not depend on the nuclear species. The discrepancy between escape length values derived from iron secondaries and from the B/C ratio was identified by Garcia-Munoz and his co-workers using a large amount of experimental data. Ormes and Protheroe found a similar trend in the HEAO data although they questioned its significance against uncertainties. They also showed that the change in the B/C ratio values implies a decrease of the residence time of cosmic rays at low energies in conflict with the diffusive convective picture. These conclusions crucially depend on the partial cross section values and their uncertainties. Recently new accurate cross sections of key importance for propagation calculations have been measured. Their statistical uncertainties are often better than 4% and their values significantly different from those previously accepted. Here, these new cross sections are used to compare the observed B/C+O and (Sc to Cr)/Fe ratio to those predicted with the simple leaky box model.
A Lexan polycarbonate detector exposed on the exterior of Skylab-3 for 73 days during a solar quiet period was used to study the relative abundances of calcium to nickel ions in low energy cosmic rays of 50 to 250 MeV/N. The method of charge identification is based on the measurement of conelength (L) and residual range (R) of these particles in various Lexan sheets. Since more than one cone (sometimes as many as five) is observed and is measured, the charge accuracy becomes precise and accurate. The ratio of (calcium to manganese) to (iron and cobalt) obtained at three energy intervals of 50 to 80, 80 to 150, 150 to 250 and 50 to 250 MeV/N are 7.6 plus or minus 3.8, 2.7 plus or minus 0.8, 1.4 plus or minus 0.6 and 3.3 plus or minus 0.7 respectively. These data thus indicate a large increase of this ratio with decreasing energy. The origin of this strong energy dependence is not understood at present.
Preliminary results from the High Energy Gas Cerenkov Spectrometer indicate that the sub-iron to iron ratio increases beyond 100 GeV/nucleon. This surprising finding is examined in light of various models for the origin and propagation of galactic cosmic rays.
The composition and energy spectra of charge groups (C - 0), (Ne - S), and (Z approximately 17) above 500 GeV/nucleon from the experiments of JACEE series balloonborne emulsion chambers are reported. Studies of cosmic ray elemental composition at higher energies provide information on propagation through interstellar space, acceleration mechanisms, and their sources. One of the present interests is the elemental composition at energies above 100 GeV/nucleon. Statistically sufficient data in this energy region can be decisive in judgment of propagation models from the ratios of SECONDARY/PRIMARY and source spectra (acceleration mechanism), as well as speculative contributions of different sources from the ratios of PRIMARY/PRIMARY. At much higher energies, i.e., around 10 to the 15th power eV, data from direct observation will give hints on the knee problem, as to whether they favor an escape effect possibly governed by magnetic rigidity above 10 to the 16th power eV.