Determination of the flux of primary cosmic ray hydrogen and helium nuclei near the geomagnetic equator using nuclear emulsions

The flux of helium nuclei of the primary cosmic radiation at the top of the atmosphere has been determined over Hyderabad, India, at a time of high solar activity in the 11-year cycle, namely March 24, 1960. The flux value has been found to be 17·9±1·9 helium nuclei per m.² sec. ster. corresponding to a vertical geomagnetic cut off energy of 7·5 GeV/nucleon. This result when compared with other observations made near the geomagnetic equator shows that the solar modulation effects, if any, at rigidities >16 GV should be ?10% only.     

Investigations on the multiply charged nuclei of the primary cosmic radiation near the geomagnetic equator using nuclear emulsion

A nuclear emulsion stack was exposed over Hyderabad, India (geomagnetic latitudeλ=7·6° N) under a mean atmospheric depth of 6·8 g./cm.², on 24 March 1960. The relative and absolute intensities of Be and B nuclei and nuclei of charge Z?6 (the S-nuclei) have been determined in this stack. The intensities were extrapolated to the top of the atmosphere using measured fragmentation parameters involved in collisions of cosmic ray nuclei in graphite. The flux values of Be, B and S nuclei at the top of the atmosphere have been determined to be 0·025±0·011, 0·101±0·023 and 1·12±0·10 particles/m.² sec. sr. respectively. The ratios of intensities B/S, Be/S and Be/B have been found to be 0·09±0·02, 0·022±0·008 and 0·25±0·11 respectively. These ratios of intensities have been used (a) to compute the amount of matter traversed by the radiation before reaching the vicinity of the earth as 2·6±0·6 g./cm.², (b) to show that the Fermi mechanism of acceleration of particles is not efficient at these energies (1–10 GeV/n.) in interstellar space and (c) to show that preferential acceleration of H₁-nuclei (Z?20) is not of overwhelming importance. The derived source composition of nuclei of energy ?7·5 GeV/n suggests that N, O, F and H₃-nuclei (Z=10–15) have similar abundances in the universe and in cosmic rays, and that C and H₁-nuclei are overabundant in cosmic rays.     

Recent observations on cosmic electrons and their consequences on different cosmic ray models and related astrophysical quantities

An experiment has been carried out to study the electron component of the primary cosmic radiation at energies >12 GeV using a hypersensitised nuclear emulsion stack, flown oriented in the east-west plane over Hyderabad, India. The results of this experiment, on the basis of 28 identified electrons of energy above 12 GeV are: (i) the integral flux of electrons above an effective energy of 16 GeV is 0·51±·10 per m.² sec. sr.; (ii) the differential energy spectrum between 12 and 300 GeV can be represented as N(E)dE=12·7 E^?2.1±·2 dE m.^?2 sec.^?1 sr.^?1; and (iii) the fraction of positrons among the total electrons in the energy region 12 to 30 GeV has been discussed. A critical study has been made on the applicability of different cosmic ray models by making use of the observed differential energy spectrum of electrons and the relevant astrophysical parameters associated with the confinement regions. The confinement regions considered are: (i) the universe as a whole, (ii) the super cluster to which our galaxy belongs, (iii) the galactic halo and (iv) the galactic disc. The consequences of the recently postulated universal black body radiation at 3° K. on the cosmic ray models have also been considered. Some of the crucial experiments needed to set more stringent constrains on the models which would then permit meaningful interpretation, are enumerated.     

Investigations on the multiply charged nuclei of the primary cosmic radiation near the geomagnetic equator using nuclear emulsions

The interaction mean-free paths and fragmentation parameters associated with collisions of nuclei of Z?6 and E?7·5 Gev/n have been measured using emulsion-graphite sandwich stacks exposed to the primary cosmic radiation at Hyderabad, India (Geomagnetic latitudeλ=7·6° N). The results are based on a total of 213 nuclear interactions observed in graphite. Since the atomic number of graphite is very close to the mean atomic number of air, the parameters derived for graphite medium are directly applicable to air. A comparative study has been made of the results thus obtained with similar data available for nuclei of E?1·5 Gev/n.     

Rigidity spectrum of cosmic ray helium nuclei

An experiment has been carried out using an oriented stack of nuclear emulsions to determine the rigidity spectrum of cosmic ray helium nuclei between 12 and 40 GV, by taking advantage of the variation of the geomagnetic cut-off rigidity in the east-west plane over Hyderabad, India. Altotal of 2433 identified helium nuclei recorded in the stack, has been divided into 8 angular intervals in the east-west plane corresponding to 8 different cut-off rigidities. From this the integral fluxes of helium nuclei at the top of the atmosphere have been obtained for all the 8 rigidity intervals. The vertical flux above an effective threshold rigidity of 16·73 GV has been determined with high statistical accuracy and has a value of 15·0±0·5 helium nuclei (m².sr.sec.)^?1. The rigidity spectrum of these nuclei between 12 and 40 GV can be well represented by a power law of the type N (>R) =1990 R^?1.74±0.11 (m².sr.sec.)^?1 and is the first direct determination so far made in this rigidity region. The differential rigidity spectra of protons, helium nuclei and S-nuclei of the cosmic radiation in the vicinity of the earth at solar minimum (1965) have been constructed with the existing world data and it is found that for rigidities ? 10 GV, the three spectra have, within experimental errors, the same slope of 2·6. The ratio P/He and He/S of the differential fluxes have been studied as a function of rigidity. It is found that for R>2 GV, the ratio P/He has, within experimental errors, a constant value of 6·3; as for the ratio He/S, it seems that the experimental data above a GV is not inconsistent with a constant value of 14 over the entire rigidity interval considered here.     

Primary cosmic ray nucleon spectrum from sea-level muon spectrum and scaling hypothesis parameters

Based on the measured sea-level muon energy spectrum and the fitted parameters of Feynman’s scaling hypothesis that describe high energy collisions, we have deduced the primary cosmic ray nucleon spectrum in the energy range 50 GeV < E < 5000 GeV. It is shown that the statistical errors in the resulting nucleon spectrum are among the lowest that exist now and any residual systematic uncertainties in the evaluated flux can be reduced further by using accurate high energy collision data of nucleons and pions in light nuclei at current accelerator energies.     

He3 nuclei in the low energy primary cosmic radiation

The flux of He³ nuclei and the ratio He³/(He³+He⁴) in the low energy primary cosmic radiation have been determined using a stack of nuclear emulsions exposed at 3·1 g. cm.^?2 of atmospheric depth from Fort Churchill, Canada, in June 1963. The grain-densityversus residual range method was used to determine the masses of the helium nuclei. Using a sample of 146 helium nuclei whose masses could be identified, the ratio He³/(He³+He⁴) is obtained as 0·14±0·04 for the kinetic energy interval 115–210 MeV per nucleon and 0·43±0·11 for the rigidity interval 0·85–1·05 BV. The differential fluxes of He³ nuclei are determined as 0·017±0·006, 0·045±0·015, and 0·054±0·017 particles/M². Sr. Sec. MeV/nucleon, in the kinetic energy intervals of 117–183, 183–217, and 217–250 MeV/nucleon respectively. These results are compared with those of other investigators. From the results of the present work the amount of matter traversed in space by the primary cosmic ray helium nuclei of energy 115–210 MeV/nucleon is obtained as 4·7±1·8 gm. cm.^?2 of hydrogen.     

Determination of the flux of primary cosmic ray hydrogen and helium nuclei near the geomagnetic equator using nuclear emulsions

Nuclear emulsions exposed to the cosmic radiation over Hyderabad, India, at an altitude of 31·3 km. for six hours, have been used to derermine primary cosmic ray deuteron flux. The flux of deuterons of rigidity ?16·9 GV at the top of the atmosphere is found to be <10 m.^?2 sec.^?1 sterad^?1; this may be compared with the proton fiux of 83±12 m.^?2 sec.^?1 sterad.^?1 in the same rigidity region over Hyderabad.     

Atmospheric gamma-rays of 1–200 GeV over Hyderabad

Using a stack of hypersensitized nuclear emulsions, exposed under 10.2 g.cm^?2 of residual atmosphere over Hyderabad, India, gamma-rays of energy > 1 GeV have been studied. It is found that the observed differential energy spectrum can be best represented by two power law spectra, one for energies less than 30 GeV and the other for higher energies but with the same spectral index of 2.6; however the intensities at energies greater than 30 GeV are about three times higher than what would be expected from the extrapolation of the spectrum at lower enerjies. The implication of this observation has been examined. The neutral pion production spectrum over Hyderabad has been derived from the gamma-ray spectrum. Using this information the energy spectrum of atmospheric electrons has been deduced and a comparison made with the observed spectrum below the geomagnetic threshold energy over Hyderabad; therefrom an upper limit of 0.5 particles/(m².sr.sec.) has been deduced for the flux of re-entrant albedo electrons above 2 GeV.     

Cosmic ray nuclei of chargeZ⩾3 during the period of low solar activity

A detailed study of the composition and energy spectra of heavy nuclei of charge Z?3 in the primary cosmic rays has been made during the period of low solar activity, using two stacks of nuclear emulsions exposed in balloon flights from Fort Churchill, Canada, in June 1963. Each of the stacks was composed of 120 nuclear emulsions of three different sensitivities and was exposed at about 3·5 g. cm.^?2 of residual air for about 11.1 hr. Reliable resolution of charges of nuclei from lithium to oxygen was obtained; for heavier nuclei, charge groups were determined. From the analysis of 793 tracks of nuclei with Z?3, results on the following aspects were obtained:

1. The differential energy spectra of L (Z=3–5), M (Z=6–9) and H (Z=10–28) nuclei were measured in the energy intervel 150–600 MeV/nucleon; integral fluxes were obtained for energy >600 MeV/nucleon;
2. The energy dependence of the L/M ratio at the top of the atmosphere was determined; the ratios were obtained as 0·45 ± 0·06 and 0·29 ± 0·03 in the energy intervals of 200–575, and >575 MeV/nucleon respectively;
3. Relative abundances of individual nuclei of Li, Be, B, C, N and O at the top of the atmosphere were determined as 36, 29, 55, 100, 60 and 106 respectively in the energy interval 150–600 MeV/nucleon; corresponding values were also obtained for energy >600 MeV/nucleon.
4. The differential fluxes of multiply charged nuclei measured by us and by other investigators were used to determine the solar modulation between solar maximum to solar minimum. It was found that solar modulation of the fluxes of M and He nuclei were consistent with Rβ dependence and that the modulation parameter Δη between 1965 and 1957 was about 1·1.

The implications of these results are discussed.     

A possible cosmic ray primary particle energy spectrum above 104 GeV and its astrophysical implications

A primary cosmic ray particle energy specturm of Galactic origin with a sharp cut-off at an energy per nucleon of 3 × 10⁴ GeV for protons and 5 × 10⁴ GeV for heavier particles and extending only upto energies ～ 10¹⁵ eV is deduced in part from the observed cosmic ray phenomena at the highest energies. It appears that the cut off is not due to the magnetic rigidity of the particles in the Galaxy but due to a cut off in or near the sources themselves. In particular, it is pointed out that Fermi type of acceleration is unlikely to be important in the production of energetic cosmic ray particles in the Galaxy. A pedestal in the energy spectrum from an extra Galactic component upto a maximum energy per nucleon ～ 10⁷ GeV with an upper limit of total energies ～ 10¹⁸ eV has been added.     

Kinematical calculation ofΛ-nucleon stimulation reaction for hyperfragments of mass A=50

Energy spectra of fast protons (E?30 MeV) have been calculated for hyperfragments of mass A=50, from Λ-proton and Λ-neutron stimulation processes respectively. It has been concluded by comparing with experimental energy spectrum, that Λn/Λp stimulation ratio is ～5. It has been estimated, from this ratio, that the emission frequencies of two fast protons, from Λ-single nucleon stimulation, both with E?20 MeV and with E?30 MeV, are ≈3·3% and ≈1·7% respectively.     

Electrons magnetic fields and background radio emission in the galaxy

Extensive data now available on the non-thermal background radio emission from different celestial directions, and recent measurements on the energy spectrum of cosmic ray electrons in the vicinity of the earth permit one to deduce information on the mean magnetic fields and cosmic electron spectra needed to exist in different regions of the Galaxy. It is found that in order to explain quantitatively the background radio brightness distributions from the Galaxy one needs (i) the same or nearly same electron spectrum that exists in the near interstellar space, to exist in almost all regions of Galactic space, (ii) a mean magnetic field close to 6×10^?6 Gauss in the Disc in the direction of the Anti-centre, (iii) a mean magnetic field close to 2·5×10^?6 Gauss in the radio Halo and (iv) a mean magnetic field probably close to 9·5×10^?6 Gauss towards the Galactic Ridge in the direction of the Centre. Some inferences are also drawn on the confinement of cosmic rays in the Galaxy.     

The effect of ionisation loss on the energy spectra of cosmic ray nuclei undergoing fermi acceleration

The effect of ionisation loss, on the energy spectra of cosmic ray nuclei undergoing Fermi acceleration, has been studied using an analytic expression derived for the energy spectra of the nuclei undergoing acceleration. The spectra thus obtained have negative slopes which become steeper with increasing charge of the nucleus. In cases where the rate of acceleration is slow, solar modulation effects have been superimposed on the above spectra and it is found that the resulting spectral shapes can be fitted with recent satellite measurements for the energy spectra of various groups of cosmic ray nuclei at low energies.     

Scattering measurements in nuclear emulsions and their application to measuring the charge of primary cosmic ray nuclei

Small local dislocations in processed emulsions give rise to spurious scattering whose effect on tracks is indistinguishable from the multiple scattering produced by coulomb interaction. Because of this effect the atomic number of fast primary cosmic ray nuclei will be underestimated in more than 50% of the cases in experiments where multiple scattering of tracks and ionization measurements are employed for charge determination. The spurious scattering was investigated by measuring the track contours of 100 very long tracks due to energetic primary particles; the effect was present in comparable strength in all plates and all types of emulsions which have been investigated. It is too small to affect measurements on medium energy particle tracks (protons with energy below 600 MeV and heavy nuclei with energy below 300 MeV/ nucleon). It dominates, however, other sources or error and noise for tracks of energetic particles although it does not preclude occasional observations of very low scattering values. New methods for measuring various forms of noise have also been developed in the course of this work and the noise level for scattering measurements has been reduced below previously accepted values. Spurious scattering is presumably largely responsible for the discrepancies which appear when one compares the primary charge and energy spectra derived from experiments involving scattering measurements with the corresponding spectra derived from numerous other experiments which employ different techniques. If the experiments based on scattering measurements are omitted, the remaining evidence strongly favours a spectrum in which the energy per nucleon is nearly independent of atomic number for all primaries. It also favours a charge distribution which has a pronounced minimum for charges 3≤ Z≤ 5 and, therefore, yields a fairly low upper limit for the amount of interstellar matter traversed by primary cosmic ray nuclei.     

A calculation of the flux and energy spectrum of secondary electrons at high altitudes in the atmosphere

Calculations are carried out to determine the flux and energy spectra of secondary electrons which are produced by the cosmic radiation in the upper layers of the atmosphere. The calculations are valid to an atmospheric depth of about 10 g./cm.² Electron spectra are presented for different depths and locations where measurements of the electron flux have been carried out: Ft. Churchill, Manitoba; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Palestine, Texas; and Hyderabad, India. The calculations are compared with observed electron fluxes during the ascents of balloon flights.     

Isotropic background cosmic X-rays in the energy range 50–290 KeV

The observations of omnidirectional X-ray flux at the top of the atmosphere have been extended upto 200 KeV using a balloon-borne NaI (Tl) scintillator detector at Hyderabad, India. The omnidirectional flux at 60 KeV is found to be 0·0066±0·0014 photons/cm.² sec. ster. KeV. The X-ray flux in the energy range 50–290 KeV can be adequately represented by the spectrum Ke^?2.2±0.4. New upper limits to the hard X-ray flux from the quiet sun have also been obtained from the same measurement.     

Nuclear disintegrations produced in nuclear emulsions by α-particles of great energy

A study of nuclear disintegrations caused by α-particles of primary cosmic radiation with energies > 5 BeV per nucleon, has been carried out. In a systematic survey in nuclear emulsions using ‘along the track’ scanning method, 479 α-particles with a total track length of 40·84 metres and 242 interactions were obtained. From the angular distribution of shower particles associated with these interactions, a procedure has been found for distinguishing protons, which originally formed part of the incident α-particle and which have not taken part in the interaction, from other charged particles. The mean free path for nuclear interaction in G-5 emulsion is found to be 17·5±1·1 cm. (68·9±4·3 gm./cm.²). Assigning both to the incident α-particle and to the target nuclei a radius R=r _oA^1/2, one obtains an effective nuclear radiusr _o=1·13±0·04 ×10^?13 cm. Using the number of protons emerging from disintegrations of heavy nuclei (Silver and Bromine) without having participated in the interaction (as can be deduced from the angular distribution) and assuming spherical nuclei of uniform density, the mean free path of nucleons in nuclear matter is calculated to be less than 3·2×10^?13 cm.     

The propagation in space of cosmic-ray helium nuclei and the slope of their energy spectrum

Cosmic-ray helium nuclei, along with heavier nuclei, traverse interstellar and interplanetary matter during their propagation from their “source” to the earth. Ionisation and spallation losses during this traversal modify the energy spectra with which they started. Taking these effects into account, a calculation has been made of the abundance of helium nuclei relative to that of heavier nuclei (charge Z?6) as a function of energy and the amount of matter traversed. A comparison of the results with the experimental observations suggests that the exponents of the energy spectra of the helium and heavier nuclei should differ by ～0·25 at the “source”.