scholarly journals Observation of the Energy Dependence of Primary and Secondary Cosmic Rays with the AMS Detector on the International Space Station

2019 ◽  
Vol 209 ◽  
pp. 01020
Author(s):  
V. Formato
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
High Energy Particle ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Precision Study ◽  
Peculiar Case ◽  
Primary Cosmic Rays

Precision study of cosmic nuclei provides detailed knowledge on the origin and propagation of cosmic rays. AMS is a multi-purpose high energy particle detector designed to measure and identify cosmic ray nuclei with unprecedented precision. It is able to provide precision studies of nuclei simultaneously to multi-TeV energies. In 7 years on the Space Station, AMS has collected more than 120 billion both primary and secondary cosmic rays. Primary cosmic rays, such as p, He, C and O, are believed to be mainly produced and accelerated in supernova remnants, while secondary cosmic rays, such as Li, Be and B are thought to be produced by collisions of heavier nuclei with interstellar matter. Primary cosmic rays such as He, C, and O are found to have identical rigidity dependence, similarly to secondary cosmic rays (such as Li, Be and B) which share the same the same spectral shape. The peculiar case of Nitrogen being a mixture of a primary and secondary component will also be shown.

scholarly journals The Origin of the Most Energetic Galactic Cosmic Rays: Supernova Explosions into Massive Star Plasma Winds

Galaxies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter L. Biermann ◽  
Philipp P. Kronberg ◽  
Michael L. Allen ◽  
Athina Meli ◽  
Eun-Suk Seo
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Field Strength ◽  
Magnetic Field Strength ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽  
Starburst Galaxy ◽  
Supergiant Star

We propose that the high energy Cosmic Ray particles up to the upturn commonly called the ankle, from around the spectral turn-down commonly called the knee, mostly come from Blue Supergiant star explosions. At the upturn, i.e., the ankle, Cosmic Rays probably switch to another source class, most likely extragalactic sources. To show this we recently compiled a set of Radio Supernova data where we compute the magnetic field, shock speed and shock radius. This list included both Blue and Red Supergiant star explosions; both data show the same magnetic field strength for these two classes of stars despite very different wind densities and velocities. Using particle acceleration theory at shocks, those numbers can be transformed into characteristic ankle and knee energies. Without adjusting any free parameters both of these observed energies are directly indicated by the supernova data. In the next step in the argument, we use the Supernova Remnant data of the starburst galaxy M82. We apply this analysis to Blue Supergiant star explosions: The shock will race to their outer edge with a magnetic field that is observed to follow over several orders of magnitude B ( r ) × r ∼ c o n s t . , with in fact the same magnetic field strength for such stellar explosions in our Galaxy, and other galaxies including M82. The speed is observed to be ∼0.1 c out to about 10 16 cm radius in the plasma wind. The Supernova shock can run through the entire magnetic plasma wind region at full speed all the way out to the wind-shell, which is of order parsec scale in M82. We compare and identify the Cosmic Ray spectrum in other galaxies, in the starburst galaxy M82 and in our Galaxy with each other; we suggest how Blue Supergiant star explosions can provide the Cosmic Ray particles across the knee and up to the ankle energy range. The data from the ISS-CREAM (Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass Experiment at the International Space Station) mission will test this cosmic ray concept which is reasonably well grounded in two independent radio supernova data sets. The next step in developing our understanding will be to obtain future more accurate Cosmic Ray data near to the knee, and to use unstable isotopes of Cosmic Ray nuclei at high energy to probe the “piston” driving the explosion. We plan to incorporate these data with the physics of the budding black hole which is probably forming in each of these stars.

Astrophysics and Particle Physics in Space with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

2003 ◽  
Vol 18 (28) ◽  
pp. 1951-1966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Lamanna
Keyword(s):  
Particle Physics ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Space Shuttle ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Magnetic Spectrometer ◽  
High Energy Particle ◽  
Physics Experiment ◽  
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a high energy particle physics experiment in space scheduled to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) by 2006 for a three-year mission. After a precursor flight of a prototype detector on board of the NASA Space Shuttle in June 1998, the construction of the detector in its final configuration is started and it will be completed by 2004. The purpose of this experiment is to provide a high statistics measurement of charged particles and nuclei in rigidity range 0.5 GV to few TV and to explore the high-energy (> 1 GeV ) gamma-ray sky. In this paper we describe the detector layout and present an overview of the main scientific goals both in the domain of astrophysics: cosmic-ray origin, age and propagation and the exploration of the most energetic gamma-ray sources; and in the domain of astroparticle: the anti-matter and the dark matter searches.

scholarly journals Time-dependent escape of cosmic rays from supernova remnants potentially at the origin of the very-high-energy cosmic-ray gradient of the Galactic center

2020 ◽  
Vol 644 ◽  
pp. A113
Author(s):  
L. Jouvin ◽  
A. Lemière ◽  
R. Terrier
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Surrounding Medium ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Energy Dependent ◽  
Very High

The distribution of the very-high-energy diffuse emission in the inner 200 pc measured by H.E.S.S. indicates the existence of a pronounced cosmic-ray (CR) gradient peaking on the Galactic center (GC). Previous studies have shown that these data are consistent with a scenario in which the CRs are diffused away from a stationary source at the GC. We previously showed that, taking the 3D gas distribution and a realistic distribution of supernova explosions into account, CRs accelerated in supernova remnants should account for a large fraction of the GC CRs observed by H.E.S.S.; but the model did not fully reproduce the apparent over-density in the inner 30 pc. In this work, we study the time-energy dependent cosmic rays escape from the remnant that is expected to occur when the shock wave decelerates in the surrounding medium. We show that the resulting CR distribution follows the quasi-stationary profile observed by H.E.S.S. more closely. The main signature is that the energy-dependent escape creates a strong dependency of the morphology of the γ-ray emission with the energy. The existence of this energy dependency should be observable by the Cherenkov Telescope Array.

scholarly journals Cosmic-ray acceleration and escape from post-adiabatic supernova remnants

2020 ◽  
Vol 634 ◽  
pp. A59 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Brose ◽  
M. Pohl ◽  
I. Sushch ◽  
O. Petruk ◽  
T. Kuzyo
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Transport Equations ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Magnetic Turbulence ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Inverse Compton

Context. Supernova remnants are known to accelerate cosmic rays on account of their nonthermal emission of radio waves, X-rays, and gamma rays. Although there are many models for the acceleration of cosmic rays in supernova remnants, the escape of cosmic rays from these sources has not yet been adequately studied. Aims. We aim to use our time-dependent acceleration code RATPaC to study the acceleration of cosmic rays and their escape in post-adiabatic supernova remnants and calculate the subsequent gamma-ray emission from inverse-Compton scattering and Pion decay. Methods. We performed spherically symmetric 1D simulations in which we simultaneously solved the transport equations for cosmic rays, magnetic turbulence, and the hydrodynamical flow of the thermal plasma in a volume large enough to keep all cosmic rays in the simulation. The transport equations for cosmic rays and magnetic turbulence were coupled via the cosmic-ray gradient and the spatial diffusion coefficient of the cosmic rays, while the cosmic-ray feedback onto the shock structure can be ignored. Our simulations span 100 000 years, thus covering the free-expansion, the Sedov–Taylor, and the beginning of the post-adiabatic phase of the remnant’s evolution. Results. At later stages of the evolution, cosmic rays over a wide range of energy can reside outside of the remnant, creating spectra that are softer than predicted by standard diffusive shock acceleration, and feature breaks in the 10 − 100 GeV-range. The total spectrum of cosmic rays released into the interstellar medium has a spectral index of s ≈ 2.4 above roughly 10 GeV which is close to that required by Galactic propagation models. We further find the gamma-ray luminosity to peak around an age of 4000 years for inverse-Compton-dominated high-energy emission. Remnants expanding in low-density media generally emit more inverse-Compton radiation, matching the fact that the brightest known supernova remnants – RCW86, Vela Jr., HESS J1731−347 and RX J1713.7−3946 – are all expanding in low density environments.

scholarly journals Constraining the cosmic ray spectrum in the vicinity of the supernova remnant W28: from sub-GeV to multi-TeV energies

2020 ◽  
Vol 635 ◽  
pp. A40
Author(s):  
V. H. M. Phan ◽  
S. Gabici ◽  
G. Morlino ◽  
R. Terrier ◽  
J. Vink ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Supernova Remnant ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Ionization Rate ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Radio Waves ◽  
X Ray

Context. Supernova remnants interacting with molecular clouds are ideal laboratories to study the acceleration of particles at shock waves and their transport and interactions in the surrounding interstellar medium. Aims. Here, we focus on the supernova remnant W28, which over the years has been observed in all energy domains from radio waves to very-high-energy gamma rays. The bright gamma-ray emission detected from molecular clouds located in its vicinity revealed the presence of accelerated GeV and TeV particles in the region. An enhanced ionization rate has also been measured by means of millimeter observations, but such observations alone cannot tell us whether the enhancement is due to low-energy (MeV) cosmic rays (either protons or electrons) or the X-ray photons emitted by the shocked gas. The goal of this study is to determine the origin of the enhanced ionization rate and to infer from multiwavelength observations the spectrum of cosmic rays accelerated at the supernova remnant shock in an unprecedented range spanning from MeV to multi-TeV particle energies. Methods. We developed a model to describe the transport of X-ray photons into the molecular cloud, and we fitted the radio, millimeter, and gamma-ray data to derive the spectrum of the radiating particles. Results. The contribution from X-ray photons to the enhanced ionization rate is negligible, and therefore the ionization must be due to cosmic rays. Even though we cannot exclude a contribution to the ionization rate coming from cosmic-ray electrons, we show that a scenario where cosmic-ray protons explain both the gamma-ray flux and the enhanced ionization rate provides the most natural fit to multiwavelength data. This strongly suggests that the intensity of CR protons is enhanced in the region for particle energies in a very broad range covering almost six orders of magnitude: from ≲100 MeV up to several tens of TeV.

scholarly journals The future of the high energy cosmic ray detection: HERD

2019 ◽  
Vol 209 ◽  
pp. 01040
Author(s):  
Chiara Perrina
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Radiation Detection ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Life Time ◽  
High Energy ◽  
The Future ◽  
200 Gev

The High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) facility will be one of the space astronomy payloads on board the future Chinese space station. The ambitious aim of HERD is the direct detection of cosmic rays towards the “knee” region (~ 1 PeV), with a detector able to measure electrons, photons and nuclei with an excellent energy resolution (1% for electrons and photons at 200 GeV and 20% for nuclei at 100 GeV - PeV), an acceptance 10 times the one of present generation missions (~ 1 m2 sr), and long life-time (> 10 years). The primary objectives of HERD are the indirect search for dark matter particles and the precise measurement of energy distribution and composition of cosmic rays from 30 GeV up to a few PeV, determining the origin of the “knee” structure of the spectrum. Furthermore, HERD will monitor the high energy gamma-ray sky from 500 MeV, observing gamma-ray bursts, active galactic nuclei, galactic microquasars, etc. HERD will be composed of a homogeneous calorimeter, surrounded by a particle tracker and a plastic scintillator detector. Two possible trackers are under study: a 5-side tracker made of silicon strip detectors and a 4-side scintillating fiber tracker with a silicon strip top tracker. The total volume of HERD will be (2.3 × 2.3 × 2.6) m3 with a weight of about 4 t. The HERD design, perspectives, expected performances in terms of energy sensitivity and acceptance will be presented in this contribution.

scholarly journals A GeV-TeV particle component and the barrier of cosmic-ray sea in the Central Molecular Zone

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyuan Huang ◽  
Qiang Yuan ◽  
Yi-Zhong Fan
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Particle Accelerator ◽  
High Energy Particle ◽  
Spatial Gradient ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Cherenkov Telescopes ◽  
Very High Energy

AbstractCosmic rays are important probe of a number of fundamental physical problems such as the acceleration of high and very high energy particles in extreme astrophysical environments. The Galactic center is widely anticipated to be an important cosmic-ray source and the observations of some Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes did successfully reveal a component of TeV-PeV cosmic rays in the vicinity of the Galactic center. Here we report the identification of GeV-TeV cosmic rays in the central molecular zone with the γ-ray observations of the Fermi Large Area Telescope, whose spectrum and spatial gradient are consistent with that measured by the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes but the corresponding cosmic-ray energy density is substantially lower than the so-called cosmic-ray sea component, suggesting the presence of a high energy particle accelerator at the Galactic center and the existence of a barrier that can effectively suppress the penetration of the particles from the cosmic-ray sea to the central molecular zone.

scholarly journals Properties of Elementary Particle Fluxes in Primary Cosmic Rays Measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

2019 ◽  
Vol 209 ◽  
pp. 01007
Author(s):  
Francesco Nozzoli
Keyword(s):  
Electron Flux ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Precision Measurements ◽  
High Energy Electrons ◽  
Electrons And Positrons ◽  
Positron Flux ◽  
Rigidity Dependence ◽  
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

Precision measurements by AMS of the fluxes of cosmic ray positrons, electrons, antiprotons, protons as well as their rations reveal several unexpected and intriguing features. The presented measurements extend the energy range of the previous observations with much increased precision. The new results show that the behavior of positron flux at around 300 GeV is consistent with a new source that produce equal amount of high energy electrons and positrons. In addition, in the absolute rigidity range 60–500 GV, the antiproton, proton, and positron fluxes are found to have nearly identical rigidity dependence and the electron flux exhibits different rigidity dependence.

scholarly journals The interstellar medium in young supernova remnants: key to the production of cosmic X-rays and $\gamma $-rays

2021 ◽  
Vol 366 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hidetoshi Sano ◽  
Yasuo Fukui
Keyword(s):  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Interstellar Gas ◽  
High Energy Radiation ◽  
Dense Cores ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Turbulent Velocity Field

AbstractWe review recent progress in elucidating the relationship between high-energy radiation and the interstellar medium (ISM) in young supernova remnants (SNRs) with ages of ∼2000 yr, focusing in particular on RX J1713.7−3946 and RCW 86. Both SNRs emit strong nonthermal X-rays and TeV $\gamma $ γ -rays, and they contain clumpy distributions of interstellar gas that includes both atomic and molecular hydrogen. We find that shock–cloud interactions provide a viable explanation for the spatial correlation between the X-rays and ISM. In these interactions, the supernova shocks hit the typically pc-scale dense cores, generating a highly turbulent velocity field that amplifies the magnetic field up to 0.1–1 mG. This amplification leads to enhanced nonthermal synchrotron emission around the clumps, whereas the cosmic-ray electrons do not penetrate the clumps. Accordingly, the nonthermal X-rays exhibit a spatial distribution similar to that of the ISM on the pc scale, while they are anticorrelated at sub-pc scales. These results predict that hadronic $\gamma $ γ -rays can be emitted from the dense cores, resulting in a spatial correspondence between the $\gamma $ γ -rays and the ISM. The current pc-scale resolution of $\gamma $ γ -ray observations is too low to resolve this correspondence. Future $\gamma $ γ -ray observations with the Cherenkov Telescope Array will be able to resolve the sub-pc-scale $\gamma $ γ -ray distribution and provide clues to the origin of these cosmic $\gamma $ γ -rays.

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