T. L. Garrard

PET: a proton/electron telescope for studies of magnetospheric, solar, and galactic particles

The proton/electron telescope (PET) on SAMPEX (Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer) is designed to provide measurements of energetic electrons and light nuclei from solar, Galactic, and magnetospheric sources. PET is an all solid-state system that will measure the differential energy spectra of electrons from approximately 1 to approximately 30 MeV and H and He nuclei from approximately 20 to approximately 300 MeV/nucleon, with isotope resolution of H and He extending from approximately 20 to approximately 80 MeV/nucleon. As SAMPEX scans all local times and geomagnetic cutoffs over the course of its near-polar orbit, PET will characterize precipitating relativistic electron events during periods of declining solar activity, and it will examine whether the production rate of odd nitrogen and hydrogen molecules in the middle atmosphere by precipitating electrons is sufficient to affect O/sub 3/ depletion. In addition, PET will complement studies of the elemental and isotopic composition of energetic heavy (Z>2) nuclei on SAMPEX by providing measurements of H, He, and electrons. Finally, PET has limited capability to identify energetic positrons from potential natural and man-made sources. >

Abundances of ultraheavy elements in the cosmic radiation: results from HEAO 3

We report here an analysis that, for the first time, systematically normalizes the data from the HEAO 3 Heavy Nuclei Experiment on .the cosmic-ray abundances of all the elements heavier than germanium to that of .iron. In the range of atomic number Z, 33 ≤Z ≤60, the analysis yields abundances of odd-even element pairs. These abundances are consistent with a cosmic-ray source having a composition similar to that of the solar system, but subject to source fractionation correlated with the first ionization potential (FIP) of each element. For Z > 60, the analysis yields abundances of element groups. For these heaviest nuclei, we find an enhancement of the abundance of the platinum group, elements with 74 ≤ Z ≤ 80, relative to that in a propagated solar system source, and a corresponding increase in the abundance of the largely secondary elements in the range 62 ≤ Z ≤ 73. These abundances suggest that there is an enhancement of the r-process contribution to the source nuclei in the Z > 60 charge region. Over the entire region of charge, standard leaky box models of propagation satisfactorily model secondary production.

Voyager 1 - Energetic ions and electrons in the Jovian magnetosphere

The observations of the cosmic-ray subsystem have added significantly to our knowledge of Jupiters magnetosphere. The most surprising result is the existence of energetic sulfur, sodium, and oxygen nuclei with energies above 7 megaelectron volts per nucleon which were found inside of Ios orbit. Also, significant fluxes of similarly energetic ions reflecting solar cosmic-ray composition were observed throughout the magnetosphere beyond 11 times the radius of Jupiter. It was also found that energetic protons are enhanced by 30 to 70 percent in the active hemisphere. Finally, the first observations were made of the magnetospheric tail in the dawn direction out to 160 Jupiter radii.

Energetic charged particles in Saturn's magnetosphere: Voyager 2 results

Results from the cosmic-ray system on Voyager 2 in Saturns magnetosphere are presented. During the inbound pass through the outer magnetosphere, the ≥ 0.43-million-electron-volt proton flux was more intense, and both the proton and electron fluxes were more variable, than previously observed. These changes are attributed to the influence on the magnetosphere of variations in the solar wind conditions. Outbound, beyond 18 Saturn radii, impulsive bursts of 0.14- to > 1.0- million-electron-volt electrons were observed. In the inner magnetosphere, the charged particle absorption signatures of Mimas, Enceladus, and Tethys are used to constrain the possible tilt and offset of Saturns internal magnetic dipole. At ∼ 3 Saturn radii, a transient decrease was observed in the electron flux which was not due to Mimas. Characteristics of this decrease suggest the existence of additional material, perhaps another satellite, in the orbit of Mimas.

MAST: a mass spectrometer telescope for studies of the isotopic composition of solar, anomalous, and galactic cosmic ray nuclei

The mass spectrometer telescope (MAST) on SAMPEX (Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer) is designed to provide high-resolution measurements of the isotopic composition of energetic nuclei from He to Ni (Z=2 to 28) over the energy range from approximately 10 to several hundred MeV/nucleon. During large solar flares MAST will measure the isotopic abundances of solar energetic particles to determine directly the composition of the solar corona, while during solar quiet times MAST will study the isotopic composition of galactic cosmic rays. In addition, MAST will measure the isotopic composition of both interplanetary and trapped fluxes of anomalous cosmic rays, believed to be a sample of the nearby interstellar medium. >

The Galileo Heavy Element Monitor

The Heavy Ion Counter on the Galileo spacecraft will monitor energetic heavy nuclei of the elements from C to Ni, with energies from ∼ 6 to ∼ 200 MeV nucl-1. The instrument will provide measurements of trapped heavy ions in the Jovian magnetosphere, including those high-energy heavy ions with the potential for affecting the operation of the spacecraft electronic circuitry. We describe the instrument, which is a modified version of the Voyager CRS instrument.

Composition of energetic particles from solar flares

We present a model for composition of heavy ions in the solar energetic particles (SEP). The SEP composition in a typical large solar particle event reflects the composition of the Sun, with adjustments due to fractionation effects which depend on the first ionization potential (FIP) of the ion and on the ratio of ionic charge to mass (Q/M). Flare-to-flare variations in composition are represented by parameters describing these fractionation effects and the distributions of these parameters are presented.

Cosmic-ray abundances of elements with atomic number 26 less than or equal to 40 measured on HEAO 3

Individual elements in the cosmic radiation of even atomic number (Z) in the interval 26-40 have been resolved and their relative abundances measured. The results are inconsistent with a cosmic-ray source whose composition in this charge interval is dominated by r-process nucleosynthesis. The ratios of cosmic-ray source abundances to solar system abundances in this interval follow the same general correlation with first ionization potential as for the lighter elements, although there are deviations in detail.

Lead, platinum, and other heavy elements in the primary cosmic radiation - HEAO 3 results

An observation of the abundances of cosmic-ray lead and platinum-group nuclei using data from the HEAO-3 Heavy Nuclei Experiment (HNE) which consisted of ion chambers mounted on both sides of a plastic Cerenkov counter is reported. Further analysis with more stringent selections, inclusion of additional data, and a calibration at the LBL Bevalac, have allowed obtaining the abundance ratio of lead and the platinum group of elements for particles that had a cutoff rigidity R sub c 5 GV.

A Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer

We describe a new instrument to be flown on ISEE-C which is optimized to measure the isotopic composition of solar and galactic cosmic rays with ~5 to ~250 MeV/nucleon. A mass resolution of <0.3 AMU should be achieved for all elements with charge Z < 30.