Measurement of the cosmic ray proton spectrum from 40 GeV to 100 TeV with the DAMPE satellite

The precise measurement of the spectrum of protons, the most abundant component of the cosmic radiation, is necessary to understand the source and acceleration of cosmic rays in the Milky Way. This work reports the measurement of the cosmic ray proton fluxes with kinetic energies from 40 GeV to 100 TeV, with 2 1/2 years of data recorded by the DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE). This is the first time that an experiment directly measures the cosmic ray protons up to ~100 TeV with high statistics. The measured spectrum confirms the spectral hardening at ~300 GeV found by previous experiments and reveals a softening at ~13.6 TeV, with the spectral index changing from ~2.60 to ~2.85. Our result suggests the existence of a new spectral feature of cosmic rays at energies lower than the so-called knee and sheds new light on the origin of Galactic cosmic rays.

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Gamma-ray emitting supernova remnants as the origin of Galactic cosmic rays

ASTRA Proceedings ◽

10.5194/ap-2-57-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 57-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. Kroll ◽

J. Becker Tjus ◽

B. Eichmann ◽

N. Nierstenhöfer

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Energy Budget ◽

Thermal Energy ◽

Supernova Remnants ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽

Below The Knee ◽

Individual Contributions ◽

First Time

Abstract. It is generally believed that the cosmic ray spectrum below the knee is of Galactic origin, although the exact sources making up the entire cosmic ray energy budget are still unknown. Including effects of magnetic amplification, Supernova Remnants (SNR) could be capable of accelerating cosmic rays up to a few PeV and they represent the only source class with a sufficient non-thermal energy budget to explain the cosmic ray spectrum up to the knee. Now, gamma-ray measurements of SNRs for the first time allow to derive the cosmic ray spectrum at the source, giving us a first idea of the concrete, possible individual contributions to the total cosmic ray spectrum. In this contribution, we use these features as input parameters for propagating cosmic rays from its origin to Earth using GALPROP in order to investigate if these supernova remnants reproduce the cosmic ray spectrum and if supernova remnants in general can be responsible for the observed energy budget.

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THE ATTENUATION LENGTH OF COSMIC RAY IRON IN THE ATMOSPHERE OBTAINED BY TIGER EXPERIMENT

International Journal of Modern Physics A ◽

10.1142/s0217751x05029861 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 20 (29) ◽

pp. 6702-6704

Author(s):

S. KODAIRA ◽

M. HAREYAMA ◽

N. HASEBE ◽

T. MIYACHI ◽

K. SAKURAI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Precise Measurement ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽

Attenuation Length ◽

Flight Data ◽

Elemental Abundances ◽

Balloon Experiment ◽

Path Lengths ◽

Balloon Measurements

A precise measurement of elemental abundances of galactic cosmic rays from charges Z = 20 to 34 was made by TIGER balloon experiment. Using the various path lengths in the atmosphere between 4 and 16 g/cm2 from the TIGER flight data, we derived the attenuation length of iron nuclei with the energy above 2.5 GeV/n in the atmosphere. As the result, we obtained the attenuation length of 15.5 ± 0.6 g/cm 2 which is consistent with previous results of balloon measurements.

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The energy spectrum of cosmic rays beyond the turn-down around $$\varvec{10^{17}}$$ eV as measured with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The European Physical Journal C ◽

10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09700-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 81 (11) ◽

Author(s):

P. Abreu ◽

M. Aglietta ◽

J. M. Albury ◽

I. Allekotte ◽

A. Almela ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Precise Measurement ◽

Spectral Feature ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Energy Scale ◽

Pierre Auger Observatory ◽

Single Measurement ◽

Surface Detector ◽

Single Detector ◽

Detector Type

AbstractWe present a measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum above 100 PeV using the part of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory that has a spacing of 750 m. An inflection of the spectrum is observed, confirming the presence of the so-called second-knee feature. The spectrum is then combined with that of the 1500 m array to produce a single measurement of the flux, linking this spectral feature with the three additional breaks at the highest energies. The combined spectrum, with an energy scale set calorimetrically via fluorescence telescopes and using a single detector type, results in the most statistically and systematically precise measurement of spectral breaks yet obtained. These measurements are critical for furthering our understanding of the highest energy cosmic rays.

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Cosmic ray astroparticle physics: current status and future perspectives

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s1743921317005233 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (S331) ◽

pp. 220-229 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Fiorenza Donato

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Cosmic Radiation ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽

Theoretical Modeling ◽

Current Status ◽

Future Perspectives ◽

Astroparticle Physics ◽

Wide Energy

AbstractThe data we are receiving from galactic cosmic rays are reaching an unprecedented precision, over very wide energy ranges. Nevertheless, many problems are still open, while new ones seem to appear when data happen to be redundant. We will discuss some paths to possible progress in the theoretical modeling and experimental exploration of the galactic cosmic radiation.

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Helium flux and elemental composition of galactic Cosmic Rays with the DAMPE space mission

EPJ Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/epjconf/201920901041 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 209 ◽

pp. 01041

Author(s):

Margherita Di Santo

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Cosmic Rays ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Dark Matter Particle ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

High Energy ◽

Space Mission ◽

Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽

Gobi Desert ◽

Photon Spectra

DAMPE (DArk Matter Particle Explorer) is a space mission project promoted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Universities and Institutes from China, Italy and Switzerland. The detector is collecting data in a stable sun-synchronous orbit lasting 95 minutes at an altitude of about 500 km. It has been launched in December 17th, 2015, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in the Gobi Desert. The main goals of the mission are: indirect search for Dark Matter, looking for signatures in the electron and photon spectra with energies up to 10 TeV; analysis of the flux and composition of primary Cosmic Rays with energies up to hundreds of TeV; high energy gamma-ray astronomy. Preliminary results about the Helium flux and Cosmic Ray composition will be presented and discussed.

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Atmospheric production and transport of 7Be activity by cosmic rays: Modelling with the chemistry-climate model SOCOLv3.0 and comparison with direct measurements

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-2287 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kseniia Golubenko ◽

Eugene Rozanov ◽

Genady Kovaltsov ◽

Ari-Pekka Leppänen ◽

Ilya Usoskin

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Climate Changes ◽

Climate Model ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽

Cosmogenic Isotopes ◽

Cosmogenic Isotope ◽

The Past ◽

Direct Measurements ◽

First Results

We present the first results of modelling of the short-living cosmogenic isotope 7Be production, deposition, and transport using the chemistry-climate model SOCOLv3.0 aimed to study solar-terrestrial interactions and climate changes. We implemented an interactive deposition scheme, &#160;based on gas tracers with and without nudging to the known meteorological fields. Production of 7Be was modelled using the 3D time-dependent Cosmic Ray induced Atmospheric Cascade (CRAC) model. The simulations were compared with the real concentrations (activity) and depositions measurements of 7Be in the air and water at Finnish stations. We have successfully reproduced and estimated the variability of the cosmogenic isotope 7Be produced by the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) on time scales longer than about a month, for the period of 2002&#8211;2008. The agreement between the modelled and measured data is very good (within 12%) providing a solid validation for the ability of the SOCOL CCM to reliably model production, transport, and deposition of cosmogenic isotopes, which is needed for precise studies of cosmic-ray variability in the past.&#160;

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Particle Acceleration by Supernova Shocks and Spallogenic Nucleosynthesis of Light Elements

Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science ◽

10.1146/annurev-nucl-101917-021151 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 68 (1) ◽

pp. 377-404 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Vincent Tatischeff ◽

Stefano Gabici

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Light Element ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Nuclear Interaction ◽

Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽

Light Elements ◽

Halo Stars ◽

The Standard Model ◽

Low Metallicity ◽

Galactic Cosmic Ray

In this review, we first reassess the supernova remnant paradigm for the origin of Galactic cosmic rays in the light of recent cosmic-ray data acquired by the Voyager 1 spacecraft. We then describe the theory of light-element nucleosynthesis by nuclear interaction of cosmic rays with the interstellar medium and outline the problem of explaining the measured beryllium abundances in old halo stars of low metallicity with the standard model of the Galactic cosmic-ray origin. We then discuss the various cosmic-ray models proposed in the literature to account for the measured evolution of the light elements in the Milky Way, and point out the difficulties that they all encounter. It seems to us that, among all possibilities, the superbubble model provides the most satisfactory explanation for these observations.

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Measurement of cosmic ray proton spectrum with the Dark Matter Particle Explorer

10.22323/1.358.0163 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Chuan Yue ◽

Antonio De Benedittis ◽

Mario Nicola Mazziotta ◽

Stefania Vitillo ◽

Zhi-Hui Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Dark Matter Particle ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Proton Spectrum

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Short- and Medium-Term Induced Ionization in the Earth Atmosphere by Galactic and Solar Cosmic Rays

International Journal of Atmospheric Sciences ◽

10.1155/2013/184508 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alexander Mishev

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Ground Level ◽

Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽

Earth Atmosphere ◽

Medium Term ◽

Ground Level Enhancement ◽

Solar Cosmic Rays ◽

The Earth ◽

Ionization Effect

The galactic cosmic rays are the main source of ionization in the troposphere of the Earth. Solar energetic particles of MeV energies cause an excess of ionization in the atmosphere, specifically over polar caps. The ionization effect during the major ground level enhancement 69 on January 20, 2005 is studied at various time scales. The estimation of ion rate is based on a recent numerical model for cosmic-ray-induced ionization. The ionization effect in the Earth atmosphere is obtained on the basis of solar proton energy spectra, reconstructed from GOES 11 measurements and subsequent full Monte Carlo simulation of cosmic-ray-induced atmospheric cascade. The evolution of atmospheric cascade is performed with CORSIKA 6.990 code using FLUKA 2011 and QGSJET II hadron interaction models. The atmospheric ion rate is explicitly obtained for various latitudes, namely, 40°N, 60°N and 80°N. The time evolution of obtained ion rates is presented. The short- and medium-term ionization effect is compared with the average effect due to galactic cosmic rays. It is demonstrated that ionization effect is significant only in subpolar and polar atmosphere during the major ground level enhancement of January 20, 2005. It is negative in troposphere at midlatitude, because of the accompanying Forbush effect.

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A reevaluation of the atmospheric pressure dependence of secondary cosmic-ray neutrons in the context of Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensing

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-10602 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jannis Weimar ◽

Paul Schattan ◽

Martin Schrön ◽

Markus Köhli ◽

Rebecca Gugerli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Hydrogen Content ◽

Atmospheric Pressure ◽

Cosmic Ray ◽

Galactic Cosmic Rays ◽

Atmospheric Air ◽

Neutron Intensity ◽

The Earth ◽

Wide Range ◽

Primary Cosmic Rays

Secondary cosmic-ray neutrons may be effectively used as a proxy for environmental hydrogen content at the hectare scale. These neutrons are generated mostly in the upper layers of the atmosphere within particle showers induced by galactic cosmic rays and other secondary particles. Below 15 km altitude their intensity declines as primary cosmic rays become less abundant and the generated neutrons are attenuated by the atmospheric air. At the earth surface, the intensity of secondary cosmic-ray neutrons heavily depends on their attenuation within the atmosphere, i.e. the amount of air the neutrons and their precursors pass through. Local atmospheric pressure measurements present an effective means to account for the varying neutron attenuation potential of the atmospheric air column above the neutron sensor. Pressure variations possess the second largest impact on the above-ground epithermal neutron intensity. Thus, using epithermal neutrons to infer environmental hydrogen content requires precise knowledge on how to correct for atmospheric pressure changes.We conducted several short-term field experiments in saturated environments and at different altitudes, i.e. different pressure states to observe the neutron intensity pressure relation over a wide range of pressure values. Moreover, we used long-term measurements above glaciers in order to monitor the local dependence of neutron intensities and pressure in a pressure range typically found in Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensing. The results are presented along with a broad Monte Carlo simulation campaign using MCNP 6. In these simulations, primary cosmic rays are released above the earth atmosphere at different cut-off rigidities capturing the whole evolution of cosmic-ray neutrons from generation to attenuation and annihilation. The simulated and experimentally derived pressure relation of cosmic-ray neutrons is compared to those of similar studies and assessed in the light of an appropriate atmospheric pressure correction for Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensing.

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