THE ALPHA MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (08) ◽  
pp. 1230005 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANDREI KOUNINE
Keyword(s):  
International Space Station ◽  
Space Station ◽  
High Energy ◽  
New Physics ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Magnetic Spectrometer ◽  
High Energy Particle ◽  
International Space ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is a general purpose high energy particle detector which was successfully deployed on the International Space Station (ISS) on May 19, 2011 to conduct a unique long duration mission of fundamental physics research in space. Among the physics objectives of AMS are the searches for an understanding of Dark Matter, Anti-matter, the origin of cosmic rays and the exploration of new physics phenomena not possible to study with ground based experiments. This paper reviews the layout of the AMS-02 detector, tests and calibrations performed with the detector on the ground, and its performance on the ISS illustrated with data collected during the first year of operations in space.

scholarly journals Observation of Properties of Primary and Secondary Cosmic Rays by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

2019 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 13002
Author(s):  
Alberto Oliva
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
International Space Station ◽  
Spectral Index ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Magnetic Spectrometer ◽  
Light Nuclei ◽  
International Space ◽  
Rigidity Dependence ◽  
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is a wide acceptance high-energy physics experiment installed on the International Space Station in May 2011 and operating continuously since then. With a collection rate of approximately 1.7 × 1010 events/year, and the combined identification capabilities of 5 independent detectors, AMS-02 is able to precisely separate cosmic rays light nuclei (1 ≤ Z ≤ 8). Knowledge of the precise rigidity dependence of the light nuclei fluxes is important in understanding the origin, acceleration, and propagation of cosmic rays. AMS-02 collaboration has recently released the precise measurements of the fluxes of light nuclei as a function of rigidity (momentum/charge) in the range between 2 GV and 3 TV. Based on the observed spectral behaviour, the light nuclei can be separated in three distinct families: primaries (hydrogen, helium, carbon, and oxygen), secondaries (lithium, beryllium, and boron), and mixed (nitrogen). Spectral indices of all light nuclei fluxes progressively harden above 100 GV. Primary cosmic ray fluxes have an identical hardening above 60 GV, of about γ = 0.12 ± 0.04. While helium, carbon and oxygen have identical spectral index magnitude, the hydrogen spectral index shows a different magnitude, i.e. the primary-to-primary H/He ratio is well described by a single power law above 45 GV with index -0.077 ± 0.007. Secondary cosmic ray fluxes have identical rigidity dependence above 30 GV. Secondary cosmic rays all harden more than primary species, and together all secondary-to-primary ratios show a hardening difference of 0.13 ± 0.03. Remarkably, the nitrogen flux is well described over the entire rigidity range by the sum of the primary flux equal to 9% of the oxygen flux and the secondary flux equal to 62% of the boron flux.

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.

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