A non-parametric approach to infer the energy spectrum and the mass composition of cosmic rays

The experiment KASCADE observes simultaneously the electron–photon, muon, and hadron components of high-energy extensive air showers (EAS). The analysis of EAS observables for an estimate of energy and mass of the primary particle invokes extensive Monte Carlo simulations of the EAS development for preparing reference patterns. The present studies utilize the air shower simulation code corsika with the hadronic interaction models VENUS, QGSJet and Sibyll, including simulations of the detector response and efficiency. By applying non-parametric techniques the measured data have been analyzed in an event-by-event mode and the mass and energy of the EAS inducing particles are reconstructed. Special emphasis is given to methodical limitations and the dependence of the results on the hadronic interaction model used. The results obtained from KASCADE data reproduce the knee in the primary spectrum, but reveal a strong model dependence. Owing to the systematic uncertainties introduced by the hadronic interaction models no strong change of chemical composition can be claimed in the energy range around the knee.     

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.     

Theoretical infrared spectrum of the ionized hydrogen between 0.8 and 4.5 microns

The problem is considered of the slow outflow of gas from a Close Binary System with subsequent formation of a shell or cloud of matter around the whole system. It appears that with a small change of velocity introduced to the most external parts of the gaseous ring around one of the components the gas particles can flow out from the binary system leaving it through the external Lagrangian point. This process can lead to the formation of a shell around the binary star. The change in kinetic energy of a gas particle corresponding to the perturbation in its motion leading to the escape through the adjacent external Lagrangian point can be smaller than 10% of the total kinetic energy of the considered particle for the case of a ring around a component with mass equal to or larger than the mass of the companion.     

Mass loss in the plane circular restricted three-body problem: Application to the origin of the Trojans and of Pluto

The equations of the plane circular restricted three-body problem are integrated in the case of an exponential mass variation of the small primary m for a particle librating around the tringular point and for a satellite of m. For a mass variation by a factor of 20, the librational amplitude of the particle shows no appreciable variation. The satellite escapes towards the regions inside the orbit of m, provided that the mass loss rate is sufficiently slow. Extrapolating these results to the real solar system, it seems unlikely that Jupiter's Trojans are former Jovian sattelites which escaped because of mass loss of proto-Jupiter. It also seems improbable that Pluto escaped from Neptune due to a proto-Neptunian mass loss.     

Study of the Kinetics of Metastable Molecular Nitrogen in the Atmospheres of the Earth,Triton, Titan,and Pluto

Solar System Research - In the interaction of high-energy electrons with gases of planetary atmospheres where the primary component is molecular nitrogen, a significant fraction of particle energy...     

Interpretation of the time structure of the EAS disc measured by the GREX/COVER_PLASTEX experiment

Simulation results for the time structure of the extensive air shower disc are presented and compared with data from the GREX/COVER_PLASTEX experiment. The distribution of the arrival times at various distances from the shower core and the contributions from the secondary particles to the shape of the distribution are described. The main parameters of the distribution, the mean time of arrival τ and the standard deviation σ, reflect the shower disc profile and thickness. The dependence of the shower profile and thickness on the energy and mass of the primary particle initiating the shower as well as on its inclination angle is discussed. The influence of the experimental conditions on the disc profile and thickness measured by the GREX/COVER_PLASTEX experiment is analysed and a parametrization of the average profile and thickness is given.     

The HEAO-3 Cosmic Ray Isotope spectrometer

This paper describes the Cosmic Ray Isotope instrument launched aboard the HEAO-3 satellite on September 20, 1979. The primary purpose of the experiment is to measure the isotopic composition of cosmic ray nuclei from Be-7 to Fe-58 over the energy range 0.5 to 7 GeV/nucleon. In addition charge spectra will be measured between beryllium and tin over the energy range 0.5 to 25 GeV/nucleon. The charge and isotope abundances measured by the experiment provide essential information needed to further our understanding of the origin and propagation of high energy cosmic rays. The instrument consists of 5 Cerenkov counters, a 4 element neon flash tube hodoscope and a time-of-flight system. The determination of charge and energy for each particle is based on the multiple Cerenkov technique and the mass determination will be based upon a statistical analysis of particle trajectories in the geomagnetic field.Representing the Saclay-Copenhagen CollaborationOriginally submitted to the journalSpace Science Instrumentation.The Saclay-Copenhangen Collaboration consists of the authors and the following members.     

Changes of the cosmic-ray mass composition in the 10–10 eV energy range

Data taken with ten Cosmic Ray Tracking (CRT) detectors and the HEGRA air-shower array on La Palma, Canary Islands, have been analysed to investigate changes of the cosmic ay mass composition at the ‘knee’ of the cosmic-ray flux spectrum near 10¹⁵ eV energy. The analysis is based on the angular distributions of particles in air showers. HEGRA data provided the shower size, direction, and core position and CRT data the particle track information. It is shown that the angular distribution of muons in air showers is sensitive to the composition over a wide range of shower sizes and, thus, primary cosmic-ray energies with little systematic uncertainties. Results can be easily expressed in terms of ln A of primary cosmic rays. In the lower part of the energy range covered, we have considerable overlap with direct composition measurements by the JACEE collaboration and find compatible results in the observed rise of ln A. Above about 10¹⁵ eV energy we find no or at most a slow further rise of ln A. Simple cosmic-ray composition models are presented which are fully consistent with our results as well as the JACEE flux and composition measurements and the flux measurements of the Tibet ASγ collaboration. Minimal three-parameter composition models defined by the same power-law slope of all elements below the knee and a common change in slope at a fixed rigidity are inconsistent with these data.     

Mass composition sensitivity of combined arrays of water cherenkov and scintillation detectors in the EeV range

We consider an array of scintillation detectors combined with an array of water Cherenkov detectors designed to simultaneously measure the cosmic-ray primary mass composition and energy spectrum at energies around 1EeV. In this work we investigate the sensitivity to primary mass composition of such combined arrays. The water Cherenkov detectors are arranged in a triangular grid with fixed 750m spacing and the configuration of the scintillation detectors is changed to study the impact of different configurations on the sensitivity to mass composition. We show that the performance for composition determination can be compared favorably to that of fluorescence measurements after the difference in duty cycles is considered.     

A variable mass of the primaries and librations around the triangular points

The delimitations of the librational motion around the Lagrangian triangular pointsL ₄,L ₅ are investigated within the framework of the restricted circular three body problem according to Brown's and Thüring's theory. The isotropic mass variation of the primaries does not exceed the order of the small primary and the derivatives of the masses with respect to the time are negligible second order quantities. The amplitude of the maximum elongations with respect to the small primary remains unchanged. The expression for the maximum variation of the distance of the particle from the large mass has the same form as in the classical problem with constant masses.     

MACH'S Principle,Gravitation and Electromagnetism: The Electromagnetic Inertia of Charged Elementary Particles

The question of the magnitude and behaviour of the electromagnetic contribution to the mass of an elementary charged particle is explored. It is shown that, if the “cut-off” of relativistic quantum electrodynamics is taken as an approximation to the physical process embodied in the postulates: I. That the bare charge of an elementary particle may only emit and absorb virtual photons having energies that are integral multiples of some fundamental energy, and II. that the observed charge of an elementary particle is a constant independent of its “radius”, the electromagnetic mass of such a particle is always finite, even when the radius of the particle becomes zero. Alternative postulates that will resolve the cut-off dilemma are briefly discussed. It is noted that the “MACHianess” of electromagnetic mass (in terms of PAULI'S criterion for “MACHianess”) depends on the detailed structure of postulate II, and that extant experimental results do not permit one, at present, to decide the issue with certainty.     

Hill stability of the satellite in the elliptic restricted four-body problem

We consider an elliptic restricted four-body system including three primaries and a massless particle. The orbits of the primaries are elliptic, and the massless particle moves under the mutual gravitational attraction. From the dynamic equations, a quasi-integral is obtained, which is similar to the Jacobi integral in the circular restricted three-body problem (CRTBP). The energy constant \(C\) determines the topology of zero velocity surfaces, which bifurcate at the equilibrium point. We define the concept of Hill stability in this problem, and a criterion for stability is deduced. If the actual energy constant \(C_{\mathrm{ac}}\ ( {>} 0 ) \) is bigger than or equal to the critical energy constant \(C_{\mathrm{cr}}\), the particle will be Hill stable. The critical energy constant is determined by the mass and orbits of the primaries. The criterion provides a way to capture an asteroid into the Earth–Moon system.     

Martian rampart crater ejecta: Experiments and analysis of melt-water interaction

Viking images of Martian craters with rampart-bordered ejecta deposits reveal distinct impact ejecta morphology when compared to that associated with similar-sized craters on the Moon and Mercury. Topographic control of distribution, lobate and terraced margins, cross-cutting relationships, and multiple stratigraphic units are evidence for ejecta emplacement by surface flowage. It is suggested that target water explosively vaporized during impact alters initial ballistic trajectories of ejecta and produces surging flow emplacement. The dispersal of particulates during a series of controlled steam explosions generated by interaction of a thermite melt with water has been experimentally modeled. Preliminary results indicate that the mass ratio of water to melt and confining pressure control the degree of melt fragmentation (ejecta particle size) and the energy and mode of melt-ejecta dispersal. Study of terrestrial, lobate, volcanic ejecta produced by steam-blast explosions reveals that particle size and vapor to clast volume ratio are primary parameters characterizing the emplacement mechanism and deposit morphology. Martian crater ramparts are formed when ejecta surges lose fluidizing vapors and transported particles are deposited en masse. This deposition results from flow yield strength increasing above shear stress due to interparticle friction.     

Intermediate luminosity optical transients during the grazing envelope evolution (GEE)

By comparing photon diffusion time with gas outflow time, I argue that a large fraction of the energy carried by the jets during the grazing envelope evolution (GEE) might end in radiation, hence leading to an intermediate luminosity optical transient (ILOT). In the GEE a companion orbiting near the outskirts of the larger primary star accretes mass through an accretion disk, and launches jets that efficiently remove the envelope gas from the vicinity of the secondary star. In cases of high mass accretion rates onto the stellar companion the energy carried by the jets surpass the recombination energy from the ejected mass, and when the primary star is a giant this energy surpasses also the gravitational binding energy of the binary system. Some future ILOTs of giant stars might be better explained by the GEE than by merger and common envelope evolution without jets.     

The spreading of a proton beam by the atmosphere

An approximate expression for the spreading by charge-exchange of a fine proton beam precipitating into the atmosphere is obtained. It shows the dependence on atmospheric structure, collision data and primary particle energy and pitch angle in a simple way.     

On the Physical Processes in Contact Binary Systems

Three importantphysical processes occurringin contact binarysystems are studied. The first one is the effect of spin, orbital rotation and tide on the structure of the components, which includes also the effect of meridian circulation on the mixing of the chemical elements in the components. The second one is the mass and energy exchange between the components. To describe the energy exchange, a new approach is introduced based on the understanding that the exchange is due to the release of the potential, kinetic and thermal energy of the exchanged mass. The third is the loss of mass and angular momentum through the outer Lagrangian point. The rate of mass loss and the angular momentum carried away by the lost mass are discussed. To show the effects of these processes, we follow the evolution of a binary system consisting of a 12M and a 5M star with mass exchange between the components and mass loss via the outer Lagrangian point, both with and without considering the effects of rotation and tide. The result shows that the effect of rotation and tide advances the start of the semi-detached and the contact phases, and delays the end of the hydrogen-burning phase of the primary. Furthermore, it can change not only the occurrence of mass and angular momentum loss via the outer Lagrangian point, but also the contact or semi-contact status of the system. Thus, this effect can result in the special phenomenon of short-term variations occurring over a slow increase of the orbital period. The occurrence of mass and angular momentum loss via the outer Lagrangian point can affect the orbital period of the system significantly, but this process can be influenced, even suppressed out by the effect of rotation and tide. The mass and energy exchange occurs in the common envelope. The net result of the mass exchange process is a mass transfer from the primary to the secondary during the whole contact phase.     

Nonconservation of energy by the vacuum

If collapsed objects or black holes absorb energy from the vacuum, then their increasing mass will generate a repulsive gravitational force, which might account for the present cosmic acceleration. Direct evidence for vacuum instability should be sought in high-energy particle collisions, where energy conservation has not been seriously tested.     

Simulation of accretion disks due to viscosity in semi-detached binary systems

A computation simulation of the motion of equilibrium particles in semi-detached binary systems is presented. We find that an accretion disk can be formed around the primary due to viscosity between moving particles. The calculated results are obtained for various factors and mass ratios. The results show that a part of the martter transferred from the secondary is accreted by the primary and the equilibrium mass transfer of moving particle depends on viscous factors and mass ratios.A part of the work has been performed during author's visit the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N.J.     

The roles of particle precipitation and Joule heating in the energy balance of the Jovian thermosphere

Order of magnitude calculations have been carried out to compare particle precipitation and Joule heating with solar radiation as sources of energy in the Jovian thermosphere. Calculations based on a detailed atomic cross section approach to energy deposition show that the efficiency of conversion of energetic particle precipitation energy into thermal energy is 0.33, larger than on Earth. This emphasizes the role of particle precipitation heating, which may serve as a source for gravity waves. In contrast to the terrestrial case, Joule heating is found to be of only minor significance in the Jovian atmosphere.     

Measurement of the cosmic-ray energy spectrum above 1016 eV with the LOFAR Radboud Air Shower Array

The energy reconstruction of extensive air showers measured with the LOFAR Radboud Air Shower Array (LORA) is presented in detail. LORA is a particle detector array located in the center of the LOFAR radio telescope in the Netherlands. The aim of this work is to provide an accurate and independent energy measurement for the air showers measured through their radio signal with the LOFAR antennas. The energy reconstruction is performed using a parameterized relation between the measured shower size and the cosmic-ray energy obtained from air shower simulations. In order to illustrate the capabilities of LORA, the all-particle cosmic-ray energy spectrum has been reconstructed, assuming that cosmic rays are composed only of protons or iron nuclei in the energy range between ∼2 × 10¹⁶ and 2 × 10¹⁸ eV. The results are compatible with literature values and a changing mass composition in the transition region from a Galactic to an extragalactic origin of cosmic rays.