N. Zampa

PAMELA - A Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics

PAMELA is a satellite-borne experiment designed for precision studies of the charged cosmic radiation. The primary scientific goal is the study of the antimatter component of the cosmic radiation (antiprotons, 80 MeV - 190 GeV; and positrons, 50 MeV - 270 GeV) in order to search for evidence of dark matter particle annihilations. PAMELA will also search for primordial antinuclei (in particular, anti-helium), and test cosmic-ray propagation models through precise measurements of the antiparticle energy spectrum and studies of light nuclei and their isotopes. Concomitant goals include a study of solar physics and solar modulation during the 24th solar minimum by investigating low energy particles in the cosmic radiation; and a reconstruction of the cosmic ray electron energy spectrum up to several TeV thereby allowing a possible contribution from local sources to be studied. PAMELA is housed on-board the Russian Resurs-DKl satellite, which was launched on June 15th 2006 in an elliptical (350-600 km altitude) orbit with an inclination of 70 degrees. PAMELA consists of a permanent magnet spectrometer, to provide rigidity and charge sign information; a Time-of-Flight and trigger system, for velocity and charge determination; a silicon-tungsten calorimeter, for lepton/hadron discrimination; and a neutron detector. An anticoincidence system is used offline to reject false triggers. In this article the PAMELA experiment and its status are reviewed. A preliminary discussion of data recorded in-orbit is also presented.

Design and evaluation of AC-coupled, FOXFET-biased, “edge-on” silicon strip detectors for X-ray imaging

Abstract A silicon strip detector for the SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) experiment has been designed and realised. The main features of this detector are AC-coupling through integrated coupling capacitors, DC bias of the strips by means of a gated punch-through structure, bulk contact on the junction side through a forward-biased p + implant, thinned entrance window for the incoming radiation (in an “edge-on” geometry) and integrated fan-in on active silicon. Results of laboratory tests of the detector parameters, allowing a thorough evaluation of the technological solutions employed, are presented.

Eye light flashes on the mir space station

The phenomenon of light flashes (LF) in eyes for people in space has been investigated onboard Mir. Data on particles hitting the eye have been collected with the SilEye detectors, and correlated with human observations. It is found that a nucleus in the radiation environment of Mir has roughly a 1% probability to cause an LF, whereas the proton probability is almost three orders of magnitude less. As a function of LET, the LF probability increases above 10 keV/micrometer, reaching about 5% at around 50 keV/micrometer.

The PAMELA experiment in space

We provide in this paper a status report of the space experiment PAMELA. PAMELA aims primarily to measure the flux of antiparticles, namely antiprotons and positrons, in cosmic rays with unpreceden ...

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.

The space telescope NINA: results of a beam test calibration

Abstract In June 1998 the telescope NINA will be launched in space on board of the Russian satellite Resource-01 n.4. The main scientific objective of the mission is the study of the anomalous, galactic and solar components of the cosmic rays in the energy interval 10–200xa0MeV/n. The core of the instrument is a silicon detector whose performances have been tested with a particle beam at the GSI Laboratory in Germany in 1997; we report here on the results obtained during the beam calibration.

Silicon drift detector; studies about geometry of electrodes and production technology

Abstract Having high spatial resolution and good energy response the silicon drift detector (SDD) finds specific applications in experimental physics. The aims of this project are: simplified detector production and operation, improved total-to-sensitivearea ratio and stable working conditions. We have started a systematic study which includes all elements of the device, the silicon wafer, the various electrodes, an improved technology and VLSI front-end electronics. Several prototypes have been produced and we are progressively testing them. We summarize here our program of work and present the results from the first drift structures tested.

WiZard SiW imaging calorimeter: a preliminary study on its particle identification capability during a balloon flight in 1993

Abstract The WiZard Collaboration is engaged in a program to study the antimatter components of the cosmic rays. A silicon-tungsten (Wiue5f8W) imaging calorimeter has been developed as part of this program. We present its performance and preliminary results, obtained during a balloon flight on September 8, 1993. The flight was dedicated to the measurement of the positron spectrum in the energy range 4–50 GeV and took place from Ft. Sumner, New Mexico.

CAPRICE98: A balloon borne magnetic spectrometer to study cosmic ray antimatter and composition at different atmospheric depths

CAPRICE98 is a superconducting magnetic spectrometer built by the WiZard collaboration. It was launched from Ft. Summer, NM, USA on the 28th of May 1998. For the first time a gas RICH detector has been flown together with a silicon electromagnetic calorimeter. The instrument configuration included a time of flight detector and a drift chamber stack, which were placed in the region of a magnet field, for rigidity measurement. Science objectives for this experiment include the study of antimatter in cosmic rays and that of cosmic ray composition in the atmosphere with special focus on muons.

Study of the combined particle identification capability of a transition radiation detector and a silicon imaging calorimeter during the TS93 balloon flight

Abstract The WiZard Collaboration is involved in a program studying the antimatter components of the cosmic rays. A transition radiation detector and a silicon-tungsten calorimeter with imaging capabilities have been built as part of this program. We present the combined performance of these two detectors for positron identification during a balloon flight on September 8, 1993. The flight was dedicated to the measurement of the positron spectrum in the energy range 4–50 GeV and was launched from Ft. Summer, New Mexico.