Underground water Cherenkov muon detector array with the Tibet air shower array for gamma-ray astronomy in the 100 TeV region

We propose to build a large water-Cherenkov-type muon-detector array (Tibet MD array) around the 37 000 m² Tibet air shower array (Tibet AS array) already constructed at 4300 m above sea level in Tibet, China. Each muon detector is a waterproof concrete pool, 6 m wide × 6 m long × 1.5 m deep in size, equipped with a 20 inch-in-diameter PMT. The Tibet MD array consists of 240 muon detectors set up 2.5 m underground. Its total effective area will be 8640 m² for muon detection. The Tibet MD array will significantly improve gamma-ray sensitivity of the Tibet AS array in the 100 TeV region (10–1000 TeV) by means of gamma/hadron separation based on counting the number of muons accompanying an air shower. The Tibet AS+MD array will have the sensitivity to gamma rays in the 100 TeV region by an order of magnitude better than any other previous existing detectors in the world. The Tibet ASγ Collaboration.     

Light Relative Efficiency Factors for ions in BGO and Al2O3 at 20 mK

Dark matter direct search experiments with scintillators need an accurate knowledge of Light Relative Efficiency Factors (REF) between electron and nuclear recoils to estimate the energy of the recoiling nuclei from the scintillation signal (if the light signal is used with this purpose) or to implement an effective background rejection based on the comparison of the scintillation with ionization or heat signals (if the light signal is used for particle discrimination). The Light REF between α and γ particles is required in some nuclear physics applications of scintillators like rare α decay searches, internal radiopurity assessment and some double beta decay searches. Two scintillating bolometers of BGO and Al₂O₃ were operated at 20 mK and exposed to fast neutrons, gamma rays, α particles and heavy nuclei. We measured their Light REF between γ and α particles and between electron and neutron induced nuclear recoils as a function of the deposited energy. We also measured the Light REF for O and Np ions in BGO. Results obtained for the different Light REFs were unsuccessfully compared with calculations based on a simple semi-empirical approach (with only one fitting parameter) proposed by Tretyak.     

Cosmic Ray Production Rates in Supernova Remnants

Supernova Remnants (SNRs) are the most likely sources of the galactic cosmic rays up to energies of about 10¹⁵ eV/nuc. The large scale shock waves of SNRs are almost ideal sites to accelerate particles up to these highly non-thermal energies by a first order Fermi mechanism which operates through scattering of the particles at magnetic irregularities. In order to get an estimate on the total amount of the explosion energy E _SNconverted into high energy particles the evolution of a SNR has to be followed up to the final merging with the interstellar medium. This can only be done by numerical simulations since the non-linear modifications of the shock wave due to particle acceleration as well as radiative cooling processes at later SNR stages have to be considered in such investigations. Based on a large sample of numerical evolution calculations performed for different ambient densities n _ext, SN explosion energies, magnetic fields etc. we discuss the final ‘yields’ of cosmic rays at the final SNR stage where the Mach number of the shock waves drops below 2. At these times the cosmic rays start to diffuse out of the remnant. In the range of external densities of10^-2 ≤ n _ext/[cm^-3] ≤ 30 we find a the total acceleration efficiency of about 0.15 E _SN with an increase up to 0.24 E _SN at maximum for an external density of n _ext = 10 cm^-3. Since for the larger ambient densities radiative cooling can reduce significantly the total thermal energy content of the remnant dissipation of Alfvén waves can provide an important heating mechanism for the gas at these later stages. From the collisions of the cosmic rays with the thermal plasma neutral pions are generated which decay subsequently into observable γ-rays above 100 MeV. Hence, we calculate these γ-ray luminosities of SNRs and compare them with current upper limits of ground based γ-raytelescopes. The development of dense shells due to cooling of the thermal plasma increases the γ-ray luminosities and e.g. an external density of n _ext = 10 cm^-3 with E _SN = 10⁵¹ erg can lead to a γ-ray flux above 10^-6 ph cm^-2 s^-1 for a remnant located at a distance of 1 kpc. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Solar Polarity Dependence of Cosmic Ray Power Spectra Observed with Mawson Underground Muon Telescopes

Power spectral density (PSD) of cosmic rays has been calculated from hourly averaged counts observed by underground muon telescopes located at Mawson over the low-frequency range 2.7×10⁻⁷ – 1.4×10⁻⁴ Hz. The first two harmonics of the solar daily variation are well defined for even cycles (20 and 22) whereas only the first harmonic is defined in cycle 21. The amplitude of the diurnal variation is lower for even cycles than for the odd cycle. The spectral power of the odd cycle exceeds those of the even cycles. The spectra are flatter and have lower power when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is directed away from the Sun above the current sheet (A>0) than when the IMF is directed toward the Sun above the current sheet (A<0). The spectra imply that heliospheric magnetic turbulence may be more variable on time scales of several years than previously suspected.     

History of gamma-ray telescopes and astronomy

Gamma-ray astronomy is devoted to study nuclear and elementary particle astrophysics and astronomical objects under extreme conditions of gravitational and electromagnetic forces, and temperature. Because signals from gamma rays below 1 TeV cannot be recorded on ground, observations from space are required. The photoelectric effect is dominant <100 keV, Compton scattering between 100 keV and 10 MeV, and electron–positron pair production at energies above 10 MeV. The sun and some gamma ray burst sources are the strongest gamma ray sources in the sky. For other sources, directionality is obtained by shielding / masks at low energies, by using the directional properties of the Compton effect, or of pair production at high energies. The power of angular resolution is low (fractions of a degree, depending on energy), but the gamma sky is not crowded and sometimes identification of sources is possible by time variation. The gamma ray astronomy time line lists Explorer XI in 1961, and the first discovery of gamma rays from the galactic plane with its successor OSO-3 in 1968. The first solar flare gamma ray lines were seen with OSO-7 in 1972. In the 1980’s, the Solar Maximum Mission observed a multitude of solar gamma ray phenomena for 9 years. Quite unexpectedly, gamma ray bursts were detected by the Vela-satellites in 1967. It was 30 years later, that the extragalactic nature of the gamma ray burst phenomenon was finally established by the Beppo–Sax satellite. Better telescopes were becoming available, by using spark chambers to record pair production at photon energies >30 MeV, and later by Compton telescopes for the 1–10 MeV range. In 1972, SAS-2 began to observe the Milky Way in high energy gamma rays, but, unfortunately, for a very brief observation time only due to a failure of tape recorders. COS-B from 1975 until 1982 with its wire spark chamber, and energy measurement by a total absorption counter, produced the first sky map, recording galactic continuum emission, mainly from interactions of cosmic rays with interstellar matter, and point sources (pulsars and unidentified objects). An integrated attempt at observing the gamma ray sky was launched with the Compton Observatory in 1991 which stayed in orbit for 9 years. This large shuttle-launched satellite carried a wire spark chamber “Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope” EGRET for energies >30 MeV which included a large Cesium Iodide crystal spectrometer, a “Compton Telescope” COMPTEL for the energy range 1–30 MeV, the gamma ray “Burst and Transient Source Experiment” BATSE, and the “Oriented Scintillation-Spectrometer Experiment” OSSE. The results from the “Compton Observatory” were further enlarged by the SIGMA mission, launched in 1989 with the aim to closely observe the galactic center in gamma rays, and INTEGRAL, launched in 2002. From these missions and their results, the major features of gamma ray astronomy are:

Diffuse emission, i.e. interactions of cosmic rays with matter, and matter–antimatter annihilation; it is found, “...that a matter–antimatter symmetric universe is empirically excluded....”

Nuclear lines, i.e. solar gamma rays, or lines from radioactive decay (nucleosynthesis), like the 1.809 MeV line of radioactive ²⁶Al;

Localized sources, i.e. pulsars, active galactic nuclei, gamma ray burst sources (compact relativistic sources), and unidentified sources.

     

Gamma rays from cosmic radioactivities

Abstract— Gamma rays from radioactive byproducts of cosmic nucleosynthesis are direct messengers from nuclear processes taking place in various cosmic sites, and can be measured with telescopes operated in space. Due to low detector sensitivity, up until now, only a handful of sources have been detected in that electromagnetic window. Cobalt lines from SN1987A and ⁴⁴Ti lines from the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) supernova remnant offer unique constraints on the properties of the innermost regions of core collapse supernovae. Diffuse gamma‐ray lines from the decay of radioactive ²⁶Al and the annihilation of positrons are bright enough for mapping the Milky Way in the MeV regime, and are both measured by recent spaceborne spectrometers with unprecedented precision. This constrains the sources of Al production and the state of interstellar gas in the vicinity of these sites: the total mass of ²⁶Al produced by stellar sources throughout the Galaxy is estimated to be ～3 M_⊙ per Myr, and the interstellar medium near those sources appears to be characterized by velocities of ～100 km s^?1. Positron annihilation must occur in a modestly ionized, warm phase of the interstellar medium, but at present the major positron production site(s) remain unknown. The spatial distribution of the annihilation gamma‐ray emission constrains positron production sites and positron propagation in the Galaxy. ⁶⁰Fe radioactivity has been clearly detected recently; the flux ratio relative to ²⁶Al of about 15% is on the lower side of predictions from massive star and supernova nucleosynthesis models. Those views at nuclear and astrophysical processes in and around cosmic sources by space‐based gamma‐ray telescopes offer invaluable information on cosmic nucleosynthesis.     

Prompt muon production in cosmic rays

Results of calculations of fluxes of prompt muons reaching the sea level are given for muon energies up to 10⁷ GeV. The calculations are made in the frame of an empirical model and are based on the up-to-date data from experiments in cosmic rays, at accelerators, and on the most recent theoretical achievements on charm production in nucleon–air nucleus interactions.     

Gamma ray signatures of ultra high energy cosmic ray accelerators: electromagnetic cascade versus synchrotron radiation of secondary electrons

We discuss the possibility of observing ultra high energy cosmic ray sources in high energy gamma rays. Protons propagating away from their accelerators produce secondary electrons during interactions with cosmic microwave background photons. These electrons start an electromagnetic cascade that results in a broad band gamma ray emission. We show that in a magnetized Universe (B≳10⁻¹² G) such emission is likely to be too extended to be detected above the diffuse background. A more promising possibility comes from the detection of synchrotron photons from the extremely energetic secondary electrons. Although this emission is produced in a rather extended region of size ∼10 Mpc, it is expected to be point-like and detectable at GeV energies if the intergalactic magnetic field is at the nanogauss level.      

Development of a new photon diffraction imaging system for diagnostic nuclear medicine

The objective of this project is to develop and construct an innovative imaging system for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging that uses photon diffraction and is capable of generating 1–2 mm spatial resolution images in two or three dimensions. The proposed imaging system would be capable of detecting radiopharmaceuticals that emit 100–200 keV gamma rays which are typically used in diagnostic nuclear medicine and in molecular imaging. The system is expected to be optimized for the 140.6 keV gamma ray from a Tc-99m source, which is frequently used in nuclear medicine. This new system will focus the incoming gamma rays in a manner analogous to a magnifying glass focusing sunlight into a small focal point on a detector's sensitive area. Focusing gamma rays through photon diffraction has already been demonstrated with the construction of a diffraction lens telescope for astrophysics and a scaled-down lens for medical imaging, both developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). In addition, spatial resolutions of 3 mm have been achieved with a prototype medical lens. The proposed imaging system would be comprised of an array of photon diffraction lenses tuned to diffract a specific gamma ray energy (within 100–200 keV) emitted by a common source. The properties of photon diffraction make it possible to diffract only one specific gamma ray energy at a time, which significantly reduces scattering background. The system should be sufficiently sensitive to the detection of small concentrations of radioactivity that can reveal potential tumor sites at their initial stages of development. Moreover, the system's sensitivity would eliminate the need for re-injecting a patient with more radiopharmaceutical if this patient underwent a prior nuclear imaging scan. Detection of a tumor site at its inception could allow for an earlier initiation of treatment and wider treatment options, which can potentially improve the chances for cure.     

Evidence that Synchrotron Emission from Nonthermal Electrons Produces the Increasing Submillimeter Spectral Component in Solar Flares

We investigate the origin of the increasing spectra observed at submillimeter wavelengths detected in the flare on 2 November 2003 starting at 17:17 UT. This flare, classified as an X8.3 and 2B event, was simultaneously detected by RHESSI and the Solar Submillimeter Telescope (SST) at 212 and 405 GHz. Comparison of the time profiles at various wavelengths shows that the submillimeter emission resembles that of the high-energy X rays observed by RHESSI whereas the microwaves observed by the Owens Valley Solar Array (OVSA) resemble that of ∼50 keV X rays. Moreover, the centroid position of the submillimeter radiation is seen to originate within the same flaring loops of the ultraviolet and X-ray sources. Nevertheless, the submillimeter spectra are distinct from the usual microwave spectra, appearing to be a distinct spectral component with peak frequency in the THz range. Three possibilities to explain this increasing radio spectra are discussed: (1) gyrosynchrotron radiation from accelerated electrons, (2) bremsstrahlung from thermal electrons, and (3) gyrosynchrotron emission from the positrons produced by pion or radioactive decay after nuclear interactions. The latter possibility is ruled out on the grounds that to explain the submillimeter observations requires 3000 to 2×10⁵ more positrons than what is inferred from X-ray and γ-ray observations. It is possible to model the emission as thermal; however, such sources would produce too much flux in the ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelengths. Nevertheless we are able to explain both spectral components at microwave and submillimeter wavelengths by gyrosynchrotron emission from the same population of accelerated electrons that emit hard X rays and γ rays. We find that the same 5×10³⁵ electrons inferred from RHESSI observations are responsible for the compact submillimeter source (0.5 arcsec in radius) in a region of 4500 G low in the atmosphere, and for the traditional microwave spectral component by a more extended source (50 arcsec) in a 480 G magnetic field located higher up in the loops. The extreme values in magnetic field and source size required to account for the submillimeter emission can be relaxed if anisotropy and transport of the electrons are taken into account.     

Meteoritic anomalies,rapid neutron capture,and gamma-rays

Unlike for the s-process, so far no isotope abundance anomalies of the type expected from standard r-process nucleosynthesis have been detected in meteoritic presolar grains. The possibility is explored whether observed patterns can be related to some of the recently inferred complexity of r-process abundances. Relative strengths of gamma-ray lines observed in a future supernova, such as the strength of the line expected from the decay of ¹⁹⁴Os relative to those from ¹³⁷Cs or ¹²⁵Sb, may be used as indicators for which type of rapid neutron capture is occurring. Also useful, if observations will be possible within a few months after the explosion, will be the search for gamma rays from nuclei previously not considered because of their relative short half-lives, such as ¹⁴¹Ce and ²⁰³Hg.     

Variation of γ-Ray and Particle Fluxes At the Sea Level During the Total Solar Eclipse of 24 October, 1995

A Total Solar Eclipse (TSE) was observed from Diamond Harbour (lat. 22.2°N, long 88.2°E) on 24 October 1995. The variation of -ray intensity was measured in the energy range of 0.3–3.0 MeV for different time spans throughout the period of the eclipse. A CR-39 detector was used to look at the change in the fluxes of neutral and charged particles. The maximum drop ( 25%) in the intensity of -ray was observed in the range 2.5–3 MeV during TSE. The CR-39 results showed the appearance of a good number of tracks and a small variation of proton and neutron flux of 10% which was not significant statistically. Low energy -ray fluxes at sea level originate from the secondary electron-photon components of cosmic rays in the atmosphere; its modulation by TSE is interpreted as follows. The cooling of the atmosphere in the path of the umbra induces a reduction of the height of the main production layer of the nuclear component, as a result of which, fewer µ^± mesons (from the decay of the^± mesons) decay to e^±. This leads to a small reduction in the flux of electron-photon component at sea level which originates from this branch; the main branch of e - component from ⁰ decay remains nearly unaffected. As the total mass of air remains the same, little or no change in the slow proton or the neutron flux at sea level is expected. These are consistent with the present observations. For a better understanding, further studies of this new phenomenon during future TSE are suggested.     

Relationship between high-energy physical phenomena on the sun and in astrophysics

High energy phenomena on the surface of the Sun are manifestations of part of the solar dynamo cycle. Convection and magnetic field give rise to unstable, twisted flux loops that become solar flares when the resistive tearing mode proceeds to the nonlinear limit. If such twisted flux loops did not dissipate rapidly due to an enhanced resistivity, then the dynamo would not work. The act of dissipation leads to intense heating and acceleration leading to X-rays and accelerated particles. The particles in turn give rise to hard X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, and solar cosmic rays. In high-energy astrophysics such phenomena occur in accretion disks around compact objects like black holes in quasars and SS433. The resulting acceleration may explain the observed extremely high-energy cosmic rays of up to 10²⁰ eV and the high-energy gamma rays of 10¹² to 10¹⁵ eV. These high energies are more readily explained by acceleration E parallel to B as opposed to stochastic shock acceleration. The anisotropy and localization of gamma rays from solar flares potentially may indicate which mechanism is prevalent.     

Sunspot Group Decay

We examine daily records of sunspot group areas (measured in millionths of a solar hemisphere or μHem) for the last 130 years to determine the rate of decay of sunspot group areas. We exclude observations of groups when they are more than 60° in longitude from the central meridian and only include data when at least three days of observations are available following the date of maximum area for a group’s disk passage. This leaves data for over 18 000 measurements of sunspot group decay. We find that the decay rate increases linearly from 28 μHem day⁻¹ to about 140 μHem day⁻¹ for groups with areas increasing from 35 μHem to 1000 μHem. The decay rate tends to level off for groups with areas larger than 1000 μHem. This behavior is very similar to the increase in the number of sunspots per group as the area of the group increases. Calculating the decay rate per individual sunspot gives a decay rate of about 3.65 μHem day⁻¹ with little dependence upon the area of the group. This suggests that sunspots decay by a Fickian diffusion process with a diffusion coefficient of about 10 km² s⁻¹. Although the 18 000 decay rate measurements are lognormally distributed, this can be attributed to the lognormal distribution of sunspot group areas and the linear relationship between area and decay rate for the vast majority of groups. We find weak evidence for variations in decay rates from one solar cycle to another and for different phases of each sunspot cycle. However, the strongest evidence for variations is with latitude and the variations with cycle and phase of each cycle can be attributed to this variation. High latitude spots tend to decay faster than low latitude spots.     

The relative abundances of the isotopes of Lithium,Beryllium and Boron in the primary cosmic radiation

Studies have been made to determine the relative abundances of the isotopes of Lithium, Beryllium and Boron in the primary cosmic rays in the low energy interval 180–400 MeV per nucleon recorded in the emulsion stack flown from Fort Churchill. Two independent measurements of mass, wherever possible, were made on each track. Out of nine Boron tracks, 6 particle tracks are consistent with B¹¹ and 3 with B¹⁰. Amongst 2 Li tracks, one is consistent with Li⁶ and the other with Li⁷.     

Low energy atmospheric gamma rays near geomagnetic equator

Based on the results from three balloon flights, made at Hyderabad(7.6°N geomagnetic latitude) using omnidirectional gamma ray spectrometers, the different aspects of the low energy atmospheric gamma rays at equatorial latitudes in the energy interval 100 keV to 1 MeV are investigated and detailed discussion is presented. The energy loss spectrum in this energy range is found to consist of a continuum superimposed on which is a photopeak due to 0.51 MeV line arising from electron positron annihilation. The continuous background spectrum is similar to that observed at mid and high latitudes. The intensity of 0.51 MeV line is estimated to be 0.079 ± 0.01 photons cm⁻² sec⁻¹ at 6 g cm⁻² over Hyderabad and the altitude dependence of its intensity is established for this low latitude station. The latitude effect of the intensity of this line at 6 g cm⁻² is derived for the first time by comparing the results of the present measurements with those available for mid and high latitudes. The contribution of the cosmic gamma rays to the observed count rates at 6 g cm⁻² is shown to be negligible in the case of the omnidirectional spectrometers of the type used in the present observations even for low latitude stations.     

Gamma-Ray Bursts: Where are We Now?

There has been significant progress recently in our understanding of gamma-ray bursts. The long-sought counterparts at other wavelengths have finally been found for a few bursts. This breakthrough is the result of coordinated observations involving several satellites and ground-based optical and radio observatories. In one case, GRB970508, redshifted absorption lines have been detected, finally settling the debate about the distance scale. The consensus is that the burst sources lie at cosmological distances, requiring at least ∼ 10⁵¹ergs to be emitted in gamma rays in just a few seconds. The gamma radiation is thought to be produced by shocks in a highly relativistic fireball. Many mysteries remain. There is no consensus on the nature of the sources, although coalescing neutron stars are the leading candidate. There is evidence that the sources of the faintest bursts may be at redshifts above 2. If so, gamma-ray bursts may ultimately tell us something about the early Universe. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High-energy gamma-ray emission from solar flares: Constraining the accelerated proton spectrum

Using a multi-component model to describe the γ-ray emission, we investigate the flares of December 16, 1988 and March 6, 1989 which exhibited unambiguous evidence of neutral pion decay. The observations are then combined with theoretical calculations of pion production to constrain the accelerated proton spectra. The detection of π⁰ emisson alone can indicate much about the energy distribution and spectral variation of the protons accelerated to pion producing energies. Here both the intensity and detailed spectral shape of the Doppler-broadened π⁰ decay feature are used to determine the spectral form of the accelerated proton energy distribution. The Doppler width of this γ-ray emission provides a unique diagnostic of the spectral shape at high energies, independent of any normalisation. To our knowledge, this is the first time that this diagnostic has been used to constrain the proton spectra. The form of the energetic proton distribution is found to be severely limited by the observed intensity and Doppler width of the π⁰ decay emission, demonstrating effectively the diagnostic capabilities of the π⁰ decay γ-rays. The spectral index derived from the γ-ray intensity is found to be much harder than that derived from the Doppler width. To reconcile this apparent discrepancy we investigate the effects of introducing a high-energy cut-off in the accelerated proton distribution. With cut-off energies of around 0.5–0.8 GeV and relatively hard spectra, the observed intensities and broadening can be reproduced with a single energetic proton distribution above the pion production threshold.