PAMELA observational capabilities of Jovian electrons

PAMELA is a satellite-borne experiment that has been launched on June 15th, 2006. It is designed to make long duration measurements of cosmic radiation over an extended energy range. Specifically, PAMELA is able to measure the cosmic ray antiproton and positron spectra over the largest energy range ever achieved and will search for antinuclei with unprecedented sensitivity. Furthermore, it will measure the light nuclear component of cosmic rays and investigate phenomena connected with solar and earth physics. The apparatus consists of: a time of flight system, a magnetic spectrometer, an electromagnetic imaging calorimeter, a shower tail catcher scintillator, a neutron detector and an anticoincidence system. In this work a study of the PAMELA capabilities to detect electrons is presented. The Jovian magnetosphere is a powerful accelerator of electrons up to several tens of MeV as observed at first by Pioneer 10 spacecraft (1973). The propagation of Jovian electrons to Earth is affected by modulation due to Corotating Interaction Regions (CIR). Their flux at Earth is, moreover, modulated because every 13 months Earth and Jupiter are aligned along the average direction of the Parker spiral of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field.PAMELA will be able to measure the high energy tail of the Jovian electrons in the energy range from 50 up to 130 MeV. Moreover, it will be possible to extract the Jovian component reaccelerated at the solar wind termination shock (above 130 MeV up to 2 GeV) from the galactic flux.     

The PAMELA Storage and Control Unit

The PAMELA experiment aims to measure with great precision the antimatter present in our Galaxy in the form of high energy particles; in the same time it will measure the galactic, solar and trapped components of cosmic rays. The experiment will be housed on board a Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite and launched in the year 2005 to fly a 350–600 km orbit with an inclination of 70.4°. All operations of the instrument – including data storage – are handled by the PAMELA Storage and Control Unit (PSCU), which is divided in a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a Mass Memory (MM). The CPU of the experiment is based on a ERC-32 architecture (a SPARC v7 implementation) running a real time operating system (RTEMS). The main purpose of the CPU is to handle slow control, acquire and store data on a 2 GB MM. Communications between PAMELA and the satellite are performed via a 1553B bus. Data acquisition from the sub-detectors (Time-of-Flight counter, Magnetic Spectrometer, Electromagnetic Calorimeter, Anticoincidence shield, Neutron Detector, and Bottom scintillator S4) is performed via a 2 MB/s interface. Download from the PAMELA MM towards the satellite main storage unit is handled by a 16 MB/s bus. The daily amount of data transmitted to ground has been evaluated in not more 20 GB. In this work, we describe the CPU of the experiment and the general software scheme.     

X射线数字成像系统传递函数模型

基于非晶硅面阵探测器的工业X射线数字成像系统是目前最先进的射线检测技术,其系统传递函数PSF(Point Spread-Function)由非点源形成的系统几何弥散、闪烁体膜层弥散、探测器像元孔径采样3部分组成.通过分析各环节射线透照场强的分布特性,以高斯函数近似各环节相应PSF的数学表达式,建立了整个数字成像系统的PSF及其MTF(Modulation Transfer Function)理论模型,并由系统PSF的半波宽得到系统的近似有效带宽.以PaxScan2520面阵探测器组成的X射线数字成像系统为例,通过实验验证了该模型的合理性,利用此模型可快速估计数字成像系统可分辨被检试件的最小细节,为工业射线检测提供理论基础.     

A detailed FLUKA-2005 Monte-Carlo simulation for the ATIC detector

We have performed a detailed Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation for the Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) detector using the MC code FLUKA-2005 which is capable of simulating particles up to 10 PeV. The ATIC detector has completed two successful balloon flights from McMurdo, Antarctica lasting a total of more than 35 days. ATIC is designed as a multiple, long duration balloon flight, investigation of the cosmic ray spectra from below 50 GeV to near 100 TeV total energy; using a fully active Bismuth Germanate (BGO) calorimeter. It is equipped with a large mosaic of silicon detector pixels capable of charge identification, and, for particle tracking, three projective layers of x–y scintillator hodoscopes, located above, in the middle and below a 0.75 nuclear interaction length graphite target. Our simulations are part of an analysis package of both nuclear (A) and energy dependences for different nuclei interacting in the ATIC detector. The MC simulates the response of different components of the detector such as the Si-matrix, the scintillator hodoscopes and the BGO calorimeter to various nuclei. We present comparisons of the FLUKA-2005 MC calculations with GEANT calculations and with the ATIC CERN data.     

Measurements of high-energy neutron and proton fluxes on-board “Mir-Spectr” orbital complex

The measurements of high-energy neutron (with energies 30–300 MeV) and proton (with energies 1–200 MeV) fluxes are being conducted on-board “Mir-Spectr” orbital complex. Neutrons are detected by the undirected (FOV 4π sr) scintillator spectrometer, consisting of 4 identical CsI(Tl) detector units (the effective area for neutrons 30 cm²). The gamma-quanta, which can be also detected by this instrument, are separated from neutrons by the analysis of the scintillator output pulse shape. To exclude registration of charged particles an anticoincidence plastic scintillator shield is realized in each detector unit. The proton fluxes are measured by the telescope based on 3 semiconductor detectors with small geometry factor (1 cm²×sr). As the first result of the experiment the upper limit of the integral flux of local and albedo neutrons in the equatorial region (L<1.1) was estimated. The results of this measurements can be useful for the radiation security. Also, the neutrons of solar flares can be detected in this experiment.     

YODA++: A proposal for a semi-automatic space mission control

YODA++ is a proposal for a semi-automated data handling and analysis system for the PAMELA space experiment. The core of the routines have been developed to process a stream of raw data downlinked from the Resurs DK1 satellite (housing PAMELA) to the ground station in Moscow. Raw data consist of scientific data and are complemented by housekeeping information. Housekeeping information will be analyzed within a short time from download (1 h) in order to monitor the status of the experiment and to foreseen the mission acquisition planning. A prototype for the data visualization will run on an APACHE TOMCAT web application server, providing an off-line analysis tool using a browser and part of code for the system maintenance. Data retrieving development is in production phase, while a GUI interface for human friendly monitoring is on preliminary phase as well as a JavaServerPages/JavaServerFaces (JSP/JSF) web application facility. On a longer timescale (1–3 h from download) scientific data are analyzed. The data storage core will be a mix of CERNs ROOT files structure and MySQL as a relational database. YODA++ is currently being used in the integration and testing on ground of PAMELA data.     

The detection of energetic cometary and solar particles by the EPONA instrument on the Giotto mission

EPONA is an energetic particle detector system incorporating totally depleted silicon surface barrier layer detectors. Active and passive background shielding will be employed and, by applying various techniques, particles of different species, including electrons, protons, alpha particles and pick-up ions of cometary origin may be detected over a wide spectrum of energies extending from the tens of KeV into the MeV range.

The instrument can operate in two modes namely (a) in a cruise phase or storage mode and (b) in a real time mode. During the real time mode, observations at high spatial (octosectoring) and temporal (0.5s) resolution in the cometary environment permit studies to be made of accelerated particles at the bow shock and/or in the tail of the comet. In conjunction with magnetic field measurements on board Giotto, observations of energetic electrons and their anisotropies can determine whether the magnetic field lines in the cometary tail are open or closed. Further, the absorption of low energy solar particles in the cometary atmosphere can be measured and such data would provide an integral value of the pertaining gas and dust distribution. Solar particle background measurements during encounter may also be used to correct the measurements of other spacecraft borne instruments potentially vulnerable to such radiation.

Solar particle flux measurements, obtained during the cruise phase will, when combined with simultaneous observations made by other spacecraft at different heliographic longitudes, provide information concerning solar particle propagation in the corona and in interplanetary space.     

Detection of the high energy component of Jovian electrons in Low Earth Orbit with the PAMELA experiment

The PAMELA experiment is devoted to the study of cosmic rays in Low Earth Orbit with an apparatus optimized to perform a precise determination of the galactic antimatter component of c.r. It is constituted by a number of detectors built around a permanent magnet spectrometer. PAMELA was launched in space on June 15th 2006 on board the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite for a mission duration of 3 years. The characteristics of the detectors, the long lifetime and the orbit of the satellite, will allow to address several aspects of cosmic-ray physics. In this work we discuss the observational capabilities of PAMELA to detect the electron component above 50 MeV. The magnetic spectrometer allows a detailed measurement of the energy spectrum of electrons of galactic and Jovian origin. Long term measurements and correlations with Earth–Jupiter 13 months synodic period will allow to separate these two contributions and to measure the primary electron Jovian component, dominant in the 50–70 MeV energy range. With this technique it will also be possible to study the contribution to the electron spectrum of Jovian e⁻ reaccelerated up to 2 GeV at the Solar Wind Termination Shock.     

旋转调制器分析方法的研究

本文研究了为探测150keV左右的硬X射线源而设计的旋转调制器的数据分析方法。改进Durouchoux的方法使之适用于无位置灵敏的镶嵌式旋转调制器系统,并在计算中采用了我们自己导出的响应函数,为验证其正确性,我们做了Monte Carlo模拟加以校验。      

Cosmic-ray observations of the heliosphere with the PAMELA experiment

The PAMELA experiment is a multi-purpose apparatus built around a permanent magnet spectrometer, with the main goal of studying in detail the antiparticle component of cosmic rays. The apparatus will be carried in space by means of a Russian satellite, due to launch in 2005, for a three year-long mission. The characteristics of the detectors composing the instrument, alongside the long lifetime of the mission and the orbital characteristics of the satellite, will allow to address several items of cosmic-ray physics. In this paper, we will focus on the solar and heliospheric observation capabilities of PAMELA.     

基于CLYC闪烁体的中子能谱测量及反演方法

空间中子是影响航天器和航天员安全的重要辐射要素之一。优化中子探测器,提高测量效率,提升反演精度是中子测量的难点。中国空间站将搭载一种基于新型中子探测材料Cs2LiYCl6:Ce（CLYC）闪烁体的中子探测器,该探测器具有同时测量热中子和快中子,以及探测效率高等特点。针对该新型探测器的中子能谱反演,分析了不同能量中子在该探测器中的响应特点,分析了中子反演常用的概率迭代法和非负最小二乘（NNLS）法的优缺点,考虑到这2种方法在CLYC探测器反演应用中的不足,提出了基于增广矩阵的非负最小二乘（AM-NNLS）法。数值实验结果表明:AM-NNLS法具有反演运算效率高和反演相对误差小的特点,验证了所提方法的有效性。      

The energy spectra of protons and helium measured with the ATIC experiment

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) balloon experiment is designed to investigate the composition and energy spectra of cosmic rays at the highest energies currently accessible by direct measurements, i.e., the region up to 100 TeV. The instrument consists of a silicon matrix for charge measurement, a graphite target (0.75 nuclear interaction length) to induce hadronic interactions, three layers of scintillator strip hodoscopes for triggering and trajectory reconstruction, and a Bismuth Germanate (BGO) crystal calorimeter (18 radiation lengths) to measure particle energies. ATIC has had two successful Long Duration Balloon (LDB) flights from McMurdo, Antarctica: one from 12/28/00 to 01/13/01 and the other from 12/29/02 to 01/18/03. We present the energy spectra of protons and helium extracted from the first flight, over the energy range from 100 GeV to 100 TeV, and compare them with the results from other experiments at both the lower and higher energies. ATIC-1 results do not indicate significant differences in spectral shape between protons and helium over the investigated energy range.     

以载荷为中心的暗物质探测卫星机电热一体化设计

暗物质粒子探测卫星是中国第一颗空间高能探测卫星,用于实现5GeV~10TeV大动态范围高能宇宙线（电子、正电子、伽马射线等）能谱测量.卫星有效载荷包括BGO量能器、硅阵列探测器、塑闪阵列探测器和中子探测器,是目前中国发射的载荷比最大的卫星.本文介绍了卫星相关技术方案,包括技术指标、轨道方案、工作模式及系统组成等,突出了其以载荷为中心的机电热一体化设计特点.      

Study of cosmic rays and light flashes on board Space Station MIR: the SilEye experiment.

The SilEye experiment aims to study the cause and processes related to the anomalous Light Flashes (LF) perceived by astronauts in orbit and their relation with Cosmic Rays. These observations will be also useful in the study of the long duration manned space flight environment. Two PC-driven silicon detector telescopes have been built and placed aboard Space Station MIR. SilEye-1 was launched in 1995 and provided particles track and LF information; the data gathered indicate a linear dependence of FLF(Hz) ( 4 2) 10(3) 5.3 1.7 10(4) Fpart(Hz) if South Atlantic Anomaly fluxes are not included. Even though higher statistic is required, this is an indication that heavy ion interactions with the eye are the main LF cause. To improve quality and quantity of measurements, a second apparatus, SilEye-2, was placed on MIR in 1997, and started work from August 1998. This instrument provides energetic information, which allows nuclear identification in selected energy ranges; we present preliminary measurements of the radiation field inside MIR performed with SilEye-2 detector in June 1998.     

Preliminary results from the second flight of CREAM

Launched from McMurdo (Antarctica) in December 2005, the balloon experiment CREAM (cosmic ray energetics and mass) collected about 15 million triggers during its second flight of 28 days. Redundant charge identification, by two pixelated silicon arrays and a time resolved pulse shaping technique from a scintillator system, allowed a clear signature of the primary nuclei. The energy was measured with a tungsten/SciFi calorimeter preceded by a graphite target. Preliminary results from the analysis of the data of the second flight are presented.     

Enhancing the ATIC charge resolution

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) experiment is designed to investigate the charge composition and energy spectra of primary cosmic rays over the energy range from about 10¹¹ to 10¹⁴ eV during Long Duration Balloon (LDB) flights from McMurdo, Antarctica. Currently, analysis from the ATIC-1 test flight and ATIC-2 science flight is underway and preparation for a second science flight is in progress. Charge identification of the incident cosmic ray is accomplished, primarily, by a pixilated Silicon Matrix detector located at the very top of the instrument. While it has been shown that the Silicon Matrix detector provides good charge identification even in the presence of electromagnetic shower backscatter from the calorimeter, the detector only measures the charge once. In this paper, we examine use of the top scintillator hodoscope detector to provide a second measure of the cosmic ray charge and, thus, improve the ATIC charge identification.     

Measurements of the earth radiation budget from satellites during the first garp global experiment

Two special measurements of the energy exchange between earth and space were made in connection with the FGGE. A global monitoring program using wide-field-of-view and scanner detectors from NASA's NIMBUS-7 satellite successfully returned measurements during the entire FGGE. This experiment system also used a black cavity detector to measure the total energy output of the sun to very high precision. A second set of high frequency time and space estimates of the radiation budget were determined from selected geostationary satellite data. Preliminary results from both radiation budget data sets and the solar “constant” measurements will be presented.     

一种应用在航天探测器上的二氧化碳两相回路热控系统冷凝器的设计优化

阿尔法磁谱仪中的轨迹探测器是探测空间反物质的核心探测器,它工作于由超流液氦冷却的超导磁体的中心,其正常运作需要体积小、散热及温控能力强的热控系统的支持,以应对国际空间站上复杂的太空热流环境及真空、微重力等因素.介绍了利用SINDA/FLUINT模拟方法,对轨迹探测器的热控系统冷凝器进行设计优化.     

Effects of solar modulation on the cosmic ray positron fraction

We implemented a 2D Monte Carlo model to simulate the solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays. The model is based on the Parker’s transport equation which contains diffusion, convection, particle drift and energy loss. Following the evolution in time of the solar activity, we are able to modulate a local interstellar spectrum (LIS), that we assumed isotropic beyond the termination shock, down to the Earth position inside the heliosphere. In this work we focused our attention to the cosmic ray positron fraction at energy below ∼10 GeV, showing how the particle drift processes could explain different results for AMS-01 and PAMELA. We compare our modulated spectra with observations at Earth, and then make a prediction of the cosmic ray positron fraction for the AMS-02 experiment.