Tasting nuclear pasta made with classical molecular dynamics simulations

Recently the AMS-02 reported the precise measurements of the energy spectra of medium-mass compositions (Neon, Magnesium, Silicon) of primary cosmic rays, which reveal different properties from those of light compositions (Helium, Carbon, Oxygen). Here we propose a nearby source scenario, together with the background source contribution, to explain the newly measured spectra of cosmic ray Ne, Mg, Si, and particularly their differences from that of He, C, O. Their differences at high energies can be naturally accounted for by the element abundance of the nearby source. Specifically, the abundance ratio of the nearby source to the background of the Ne, Mg, Si elements is lower by a factor of ~ 1.7 than that of the He, C, O elements. Such a difference could be due to the abundance difference of the stellar evolution of the progenitor star or the acceleration process/environment, of the nearby source. This scenario can simultaneously explain the high-energy spectral softening features of cosmic ray spectra revealed recently by CREAM/NUCLEON/DAMPE, as well as the energy-dependent behaviors of the large-scale anisotropies. It is predicted that the dipole anisotropy amplitudes below PeV energies of the Ne, Mg, Si group are smaller than that of the He, C, O group, which can be tested with future measurements.

     

Elemental energy spectra of cosmic rays from the data of the ATIC-2 experiment

This paper reports on the results of measurements performed in the course of the ATIC-2 balloon experiment (2002–2003) for the energy spectra of particles (such as protons; He, C, O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe nuclei; and some groups of nuclei) and the all-particle energy spectrum in primary cosmic rays at energies ranging from 50 GeV to 200 TeV. The conclusion is drawn that the energy spectra of protons and helium nuclei differ substantially (the spectrum of protons is steeper) and that the shape of the energy spectra of protons and heavy nuclei cannot be described by a power function.     

Energy spectra of abundant nuclei of primary cosmic rays from the data of ATIC-2 experiment: Final results

The final results of processing the data from the balloon-born experiment ATIC-2 (Antarctica, 2002–2003) for the energy spectra of protons and He, C, O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe nuclei, the spectrum of all particles, and the mean logarithm of atomic weight of primary cosmic rays as a function of energy are presented. The final results are based on improvement of the methods used earlier, in particular, considerably increased resolution of the charge spectrum. The preliminary conclusions on the significant difference in the spectra of protons and helium nuclei (the proton spectrum is steeper) and the non-power character of the spectra of protons and heavier nuclei (flattening of carbon spectrum at energies above 10 TeV) are confirmed. A complex structure of the energy dependence of the mean logarithm of atomic weight is found.     

Characteristics of the energy spectra of cosmic rays and a single source model

As the accuracy of measuring the energy spectra of different nuclei in the primary cosmic ray flux and their ratios grows, more evidence appears for the nonpower character of these spectra at energies below the knee at 3–4 PeV. Irregularities in the spectra are the natural consequence of the nonuniformity of the cosmic ray source distributions: their types, ages and distances to the Earth; the nonuniformity of the interstellar medium; and the different densities, temperatures, and natures of magnetic fields. In particular, the flattening of the proton and helium energy spectra, the growth of the fraction of positrons in the total flux of positrons and electrons, and the constancy of the ratio of antiprotons to protons at sub-PeV energies could be due to the contribution from nearby and young sources emitting harder energy spectra of particles. It is shown that the recent measurements of the ratio of the boron and carbon nuclei performed in the AMS-02 experiment could also indicate that there is a contribution from a single comparatively young and nearby source.     

Implications on the origin of cosmic rays in light of 10 TV spectral softenings

Precise measurements of the energy spectra of cosmic rays(CRs)show various kinds of features deviating from single power-laws,which give very interesting and important implications on their origin and propagation.Previous measurements from a few balloon and space experiments indicate the existence of spectral softenings around 10 TV for protons(and probably also for Helium nuclei).Very recently,the DArk Matter Particle Explorer(DAMPE)measurement about the proton spectrum clearly reveals such a softening with a high significance.Here we study the implications of these new measurements,as well as the groundbased indirect measurements,on the origin of CRs.We find that a single component of CRs fails to fit the spectral softening and the air shower experiment data simultaneously.In the framework of multiple components,we discuss two possible scenarios,the multiple source population scenario and the background plus nearby source scenario.Both scenarios give reasonable fits to the wide-band data from TeV to 100 PeV energies.Considering the anisotropy observations,the nearby source model is favored.     

Implications on cosmic ray injection and propagation parameters from Voyager/ACE/AMS-02 nucleus data

We study the propagation and injection models of cosmic rays using the latest measurements of the boron-to-carbon ratio and fluxes of protons, helium, carbon, and oxygen nuclei by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and the Advanced Composition Explorer at top of the Earth, and the Voyager spacecraft outside the heliosphere. The Advanced Composition Explorer(ACE) data during the same time interval of the AMS-02 data are extracted to minimize the complexity of the solar modulation effect. We find that the cosmic ray nucleus data favor a modified version of the diffusion-reacceleration scenario of the propagation. The diffusion coefficient is, however, required to increase moderately with decreasing rigidity at low energies, which has interesting implications on the particle and plasma interaction in the Milky Way. We further find that the low rigidity( a few GV) injection spectra are different for different compositions. The injection spectra are softer for lighter nuclei. These results are expected to be helpful in understanding the acceleration process of cosmic rays.     

A study on the sharp knee and fine structures of cosmic ray spectra

The paper investigates the overall and detailed features of cosmic ray(CR) spectra in the knee region using the scenario of nuclei-photon interactions around the acceleration sources.Young supernova remnants can be the physical realities of such kind of CR acceleration sites.The results show that the model can well explain the following problems simultaneously with one set of source parameters:the knee of CR spectra and the sharpness of the knee,the detailed irregular structures of CR spectra,the so-calledc...     

Studies of anomalous cosmic ray N, O, and Ne using Cn track detectors

We report measurements of the energy spectra of anomalous cosmic ray N, O and Ne in the energy interval 5–25 MeV/nucleon made with stacks of cellulose nitrate sheets exposed on “Cosmos” satellites in Earth's vicinity in 1994. The successive etching was applied for the best charge identification.     

轻核区双中子滴线核的研究

运用形变相对论平均场（RMF）理论系统地研究了轻核区的元素O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ar和 Ca及Ni。 计算了这8个元素的偶 偶核基态的一些性质, 如结合能、 四极形变、 平均每核子结合能以及双中子分离能等。 计算中采用了NL3参数组, 并用BCS方法处理对关联。 限于篇幅, 文中只给出O和Mg元素的计算结果。 RMF理论计算的结果和实验值基本一致。 从双中子分离能的分析可知, RMF理论计算的各元素的双中子滴线核分别为 30O, 38Ne, 42Mg, 52Si, 54S, 60Ar, 80Ca和98Ni。 最后简单讨论了Ca和Ni同位素中的中子幻数情况。 The ground state properties of even even O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ar, Ca and Ni isotopes were studied with the self consistent deformed relativistic mean field theory with NL3 parameter set. The calculated results of O and Mg isotopes were presented in detail. The calculated binding energies and the two neutron separation energies were in good agreement with experimental values. By examining the two neutron separation energies, it was suggested that 30O, 38Ne, 42Mg, 52Si, 54S, 60Ar, 80Ca and 98Ni are the two neutron drip line nuclei. We also briefly discussed the possible changes of neutron magic numbers in Ca and Ni isotopes. Key words: relativistic mean field; drip line nucleus; two neutron separation energy     

Origin of hardening in spectra of cosmic ray nuclei at a few hundred GeV using AMS-02 data

Many experiments have confirmed spectral hardening at a few hundred GeV in the spectra of cosmic ray(CR)nuclei.Three different origins have been proposed:primary source acceleration,propagation,and the superposition of different kinds of sources.In this work,a broken power law has been employed to fit each of the spectra of cosmic ray nuclei from AMS-02 directly,for rigidities greater than 45 GeV.The fitting results of the break rigidity and the spectral index differences less than and greater than the break rigidity show complicated relationships among different nuclear species,which cannot be reproduced naturally by a simple primary source scenario or a propagation scenario.However,with a natural and simple assumption,the superposition of different kinds of sources could have the potential to explain the fitting results successfully.Spectra of CR nuclei from a single future experiment,such as DAMPE,will provide us the opportunity to do cross checks and reveal the properties of the different kinds of sources.     

Spectral hardening of cosmic ray protons and helium nuclei in supernova remnant shocks

The observed hardening of the spectra of cosmic ray protons and helium nuclei is studied within the model of nonlinear diffusive shock acceleration of supernova remnants(SNRs). In this model, the injected particles with energies below the spectral "knee" are assumed to be described by two populations with different spectral indexes around 200 GeV. The high-energy population is dominated by the particles with energies above 200 GeV released upstream of the shock of SNR, and the low-energy population is attributed to the particles with energies below 200 GeV released downstream of the shock of SNR. In this scenario, the spectral hardening of cosmic ray protons and helium nuclei observed by PAMELA, AMS-02, and CREAM experiments can be reproduced.     

Dependence of Multiparticle Processes on the Interaction-Region Size in Collisions of High-Energy Protons and Nuclei

The problem of the dependence of multiparticle reaction-product formation on the interactionregion size is considered both at cosmic-ray and accelerator energies. In cosmic rays, a comparative analysis of interactions induced by protons and light nuclei was performed on the basis of data obtained by the Stratosphere Collaboration. At accelerator energies, the problem was studied by employing data of the EMU Collaboration. The results revealed a substantial distinction between the production processes in these event groups. An analysis of interactions between light nuclei, (C, O, Ne) + (C/N/O); between intermediate and light nuclei, (Si, S) + (C/N/O); and between heavy nuclei, (Au, Pb) + (Ag/Br), showed that there is a sizable enhancement of fluctuations as the size of the interaction region becomes smaller. A sharp growth of multiplicity and pseudorapidity correlations in the most central interactions, (C, O, Ne) + (C/N/O), is interpreted as a manifestation of internal virtual alpha-particle clustering of light nuclei.     

Small shower CORSIKA simulations

Extensive Air Showers (EAS) induced by cosmic ray particles of very low energies, owing to the significantly steep cosmic ray energy spectrum, dominate the secondary particle flux measured by single detectors and small shower arrays. Such arrays connected in extended networks can be used to determine potentially interesting spatial correlations between showers, which may shed new light on the nature of ultra high-energy cosmic rays. The quantitative interpretation of showers recorded by small local arrays requires a methodology that differs from that used by ordinary large EAS arrays operating in the "knee" region and above. We present "small EAS generator," a semi-analytical method for integrating cosmic ray spectra over energies of interest and summing over the mass spectra of primary nuclei in arbitrary detector configurations. Furthermore, we provide results on the EAS electron and muon fluxes and particle density spectra.     

The TeV-scale cosmic ray proton and helium spectra: Contributions from the local sources

Recent measurements of cosmic ray proton and helium spectra show a hardening above a few hundreds of GeV. This excess is hard to understand in the framework of the conventional models of galactic cosmic ray production and propagation. Here, we propose to explain this anomaly by the presence of local sources. Cosmic ray propagation is described as a diffusion process taking place inside a two-zone magnetic halo. We calculate the proton and helium fluxes at the Earth between 50 GeV and 100 TeV. Improving over a similar analysis, we consistently derive these fluxes by taking into account both local and remote sources for which a unique injection rate is assumed. We find cosmic ray propagation parameters for which the proton and helium spectra remarkably agree with the PAMELA and CREAM measurements over four decades in energy.     

C/O γ能谱测井新的解析理论和方法

报道了快中子非弹性散射γ能谱测井(C/O γ能谱测井)新的解析理论和方法, 也就是由C/O能谱测井仪在井眼中获取地层的快中子非弹性散射γ射线、 NaI(Tl)探测器测量得到的256道谱, 再由实测非弹谱确定地层中主要元素C, O, Si, Ca和Fe等对非弹γ谱的贡献分额, 利用同一地层F因子相同, 求出C产额与O产额比, C的百分含量与O的百分含量和原子含量比, 及Ca和Si相应比值.A new analyzing theory and method of C/O spectrometry logging is reported. Fast neutron enelastic scattering γ ray spectra(256 channels) were acquired in borehole by NaI(Tl) detector. The enelastic scattering γ ray from major elements C, O, Si, Ca, Fe, etc. have the fractions of mixed enelastic spectrum in formation respectively. Because F factor is the same for identical formation, then the ratio of yield of C to O, the ratio of weight percent of C to O, and the ratio of atoms C to O could be found, and the corresponding ratio of Ca to Si was found.     

Heavy ion results from different locations on LDEF

Heavy ions (Z = 8–26) with energies far below the geomagnetic cutoff energy were measured in three different plastic nuclear track detector experiments on the 28.5° inclination orbit of the NASA satellite Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) at 460 km mean altitude. The results of the three experiments M0002 (Kiel University, Germany), A0015 (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt (= DLR) Köln, Germany) and HIIS (Naval Research Laboratory (= NRL) Washington, DC, U.S.A.), which were exposed at different satellite locations, agree with each other. At E ≤ 70 MeV/nuc all particle groups showed a steeply falling energy spectrum and an anisotropic arrival direction distribution. The results were consistent with magnetically trapped particles registered in the South Atlantic. The detected particles originated from the anomalous cosmic rays (O, Ne, Ar) and from an unknown source (Mg, Si, Fe). At E ≥ 70 MeV/nuc measured particles of the Fe-group showed a flattening energy spectrum.     

Source abundances of ultra heavy elements derived from UHCRE measurements

A total of 205 tracks have been located, measured, and positively identified as originating from Ultra Heavy (Z ≥ 65) cosmic ray ions with energies over 2 GeV/amu in the 10 UHCRE plastic track detector (mainly Lexan polycarbonate) stacks studied by our Group. About 40 values of reduced etch rate S have been obtained along each of these tracks. A method based on determining the gradient of S, together with calibration in accelerators, is used to determine the charge of each ion resulting in one of such tracks to obtain the charge spectrum of the recorded Ultra Heavy ions. The abundance ratio of ions with 87 ≤ Z ≤ 100, to those with 74 ≤ Z ≤ 86, as well as that of ions with 81 ≤ Z ≤ 86 to those with 74 ≤ Z ≤ 80 are calculated at 0.016 and 0.32, respectively, which agree with the values obtained from measurements in the HEAO-3 and Ariel-6 experiments. The abundance ratio of ions with 70 ≤ Z ≤ 73 to those with 74 ≤ Z ≤ 86 is also calculated, but its value (0.074) did not seem to be significant because of our detectors' low registration efficiency in the charge range 70 ≤ Z ≤ 73. A computer program developed by our Group, based on the Leaky Box cosmic ray propagation model, has been used to determine the source abundances of cosmic ray nuclei with Z ≥ 65 inferred from the abundances measured in the UHCRE. It appeared that r-process synthesized elements were overabundant compared to the Solar System abundances, as predicted by other authors.     

Violation of the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cutoff: a tempest in a (magnetic) Teapot? Why cosmic ray energies above 10(20) eV may not require new physics

The apparent lack of suitable astrophysical sources for the observed highest energy cosmic rays within approximately 20 Mpc is the "Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) paradox." We constrain representative models of the extragalactic magnetic field structure by Faraday rotation measurements; limits are at the microG level rather than the nG level usually assumed. In such fields, even the highest energy cosmic rays experience large deflections. This allows nearby active galactic nuclei (possibly quiet today) or gamma ray bursts to be the source of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays without contradicting the GZK distance limit.     

Extragalactic electromagnetic cascades as a possible instrument for the study of background radio emission

We analyzed the diffuse gamma-ray emission generated in the interactions between cosmic rays of ultrahigh energies and the background radiation in extragalactic space. The intensity of gamma-ray emission was calculated within a simplified model for energies E ≈ 10¹⁴ eV in different assumptions concerning the cosmic ray sources with the use of different estimates of nonthermal background radiation. It was shown that the gamma-ray radiation intensity in this energy range depends on the background radio emission and that under different assumptions concerning the radio background it can differ tens of times. It was concluded that gamma-ray emission can serve as a test for the models of background radio-frequency radiation.     

Systematics of back angle 12C scattering — the 12C + 20Ne and 12C + 24Mg systems

The back angle scattering of ²⁰Ne and ²⁴Mg ions from ¹²C display structured excitation functions and oscillatory angular distributions. These measurements bridge the gap between the previously studied ¹²C + ¹⁶O and ¹²C + ²⁸Si systems.