|
The purpose of the Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass (CREAM) experiment is to determine the composition of Cosmic rays up to the 1015 eV "knee" in the cosmic ray spectrum. It is suspected that this knee in the cosmic ray spectrum can be explained by the theoretical maximum energy that a supernova can accelerate particles to through Fermi acceleration. This is accomplished with a timing-based charge detector and transition radiation detector at an altitude of at least 110,000 ft with the aid of a High-altitude balloon. After launching from McMurdo Station in Antarctica, the balloon will stay aloft for 60-100 days gathering data on charges and energies of the unimpeded cosmic rays that strike the detectors. One of the advantages of this type of experiment is that it is possible to identify the original particle that would have caused the air shower detected by ground-based detectors. Maximum detectable energy level is determined by duration of the flight and size of the detector; a difficult barrier to get around for experiments of this type. An accurate measurement of the composition of cosmic rays is necessary in order to understand the origins of the cosmic rays found above the "knee" at 1015 eV. To date, the CREAM balloon experiments have accumulated a total of 161 days of exposure, longer than any other single balloon-borne experiment. == Experimental Goals == * Can the "knee" be explained by maximum acceleration due to supernovae? * Have the composition of cosmic rays changed over time? * Are multiple mechanisms responsible for the production of cosmic rays? 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|