A new method for determining particle energy in the range 1011?1015 eV and results from a beam test at 180 GeV/c

Abstract

A method for measuring the energy of the nuclear component of cosmic rays is described. The principle of the method consists in determining the energy of a primary nucleus from the space density of secondary particles produced in a thin target in the initial event of inelastic interaction. The results from testing the method on an ejected 180-GeV pion beam are presented. Analysis of the experimental data and simulation show that, using this method, it is possible to measure the particle energy with a relative error of ~67%. The method is being developed for the direct detection of cosmic rays over wide ranges of energy (10 11 -10 15 eV/particle) and charge ( Z = 1-30) during a cosmic experiment in near-Earth space.

Secondary cosmic rays in the NUCLEON space experiment

“…Details on the KLEM method and its ground tests can be found in these articles: G. L. Bashindzhagyan et al (2005); A. Turundaevskiy et al (2005); A. G. Voronin et al (2007); V. L. Bulatov et al (2010).…”

First results of the cosmic ray NUCLEON experiment

“…Here a very direct and model-independent argument is given in favor of expecting consistent results from both methods, that is, if all the data processing is performed correctly. The basic value which is used in the calorimetric method to reconstruct the spectra of the particles is the energy deposited in the detectors of the calorimeter Ed; and in the KLEM method, the main parameter is a specially constructed estimator S, which is related lg(Ed/MIP) 3 3.5 to the number of secondary particles with a high pseudorapidity after the first interaction (see Equation (3.1) below, for details see also [15][16][17][18][19]). Figure 5 shows a scatter plot of the Ed and S variables, measured for the same event.…”

Energy spectra of protons and helium nuclei measured by the cosmic ray NUCLEON experiment

“…A new energy measurement method, KLEM (Kinematic Lightweight Energy Meter), was proposed in [17][18][19][20][21]. The technique can be used over a wide range of energies (10 11 -10 16 eV) and gives an energy resolution of 70% or better, according to simulation results.…”