Cosmic Ray Backgrounds

1
Cosmic Ray Backgrounds

• Three components
• Galactic cosmics
• Primary Protons and heavier elements
• Van Allen Belts
• Low energy electrons and protons
• Solar Flare Events
• More protons
• We added the Primary Deuterium Spectrum

Tom Diehl 05/28/2003
2
Spectra Added So Far

• AMS Result for Near Earth Orbit
• Space Shuttle _at_ altitude 380 km
• Above the atmosphere but below the Van Allen
  belts
• 2 components
• For k.e.gt10 GeV geomagnetic cutoff, a power
  law spectrum (see fit)
• Below the cutoff, a second spectrum different
  from that observed in the Van Allen belts and in
  upper atmosphere.
• Observed to be isotropic

AMS Data Physics Reports 366, 331 (2002).
3
Program Generates

• 1.010355 prot
• 2.846164 hel3
• 2.792072 prot
• 1.599854 prot
• 0.3606503 prot
• 0.7046497 prot
• 16.01863 hel3
• 5.046957 prot
• 5.199442 prot

Particles, their 4-vector Starting point, etc
4
Summary and Promises

• So far we have (for low earth orbit) spectrum
• Protons
• Deuterium
• Helium
• Next time
• Electrons and positrons