Measurement of cosmic ray nuclei with AMS-02 experiment

• Grant number: 15/50378-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2016
• End date: October 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics
• Agreement: MIT
• Principal Investigator: Manuela Vecchi
• Grantee: Manuela Vecchi
• Principal researcher abroad: Paolo Zuccon
• Institution abroad: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The proposed research activity will be developed in the field of astroparticle physics, at the boundary between astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology. The main goal of the present project is to strenghten the synergy between MIT scientists and the members of the AMS-02 group at the Instituto de Fisica de Sao Carlos, of the University of Sao Paulo, by' means of regular exchanges, focused on the analysis of AMS-02 data aiming at providing an updated estimation of the astrophysical antiproton background, via the precise measurement of cosmic ray nuclei with the AMS-02 experiment. The AMS-02 experiment is a cosmic ray detector launched successfully in 2011, taking data abord the International Space Station at 400 km altitude. AMS-02 detects cosmic rays before the interact with the atmosphere: given its large acceptance- the long duration of the mission (foreseen to be concluded in 2024) and the excellent performance in terms of particle identification and energy/momentum resolution, the detector is providing extremely precise data. One of the main goals of the AMS-02 experiment is the indirect search for dark matter, looking at the fluxes on the antimatter component of cosmic rays (positrons and antiprotons). In the present project, we aim at performing the measurement of cosmic ray nuclei, such as Carbon, Lithium and Boron, to provide an updated estimation of the antiproton flux from conventional astrophysical mechanisms. The estimation of the background is very important in the search for dark matter, since one of the most crucial issues in the field is to update the uncertainty ranges of ordinary astrophysics, in view of more recent and precise experimental results. This is fundamental to perform dark matter search on solid basis. (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

AGUILAR, M.; CAVASONZA, L. ALI; AMBROSI, G.; ARRUDA, L.; ATTIG, N.; AUPETIT, S.; AZZARELLO, P.; BACHLECHNER, A.; BARAO, F.; BARRAU, A.; et al. Observation of Complex Time Structures in the Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Fluxes with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station. Physical Review Letters, v. 121, n. 5, JUL 31 2018. (15/50378-5, 14/19149-7)

AGUILAR, M.; CAVASONZA, L. ALI; ALPAT, B.; AMBROSI, G.; ARRUDA, L.; ATTIG, N.; AUPETIT, S.; AZZARELLO, P.; BACHLECHNER, A.; BARAO, F.; et al. Observation of Fine Time Structures in the Cosmic Proton and Helium Fluxes with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station. Physical Review Letters, v. 121, n. 5, JUL 31 2018. (15/50378-5, 14/19149-7, 16/10222-9)

AGUILAR, M.; CAVASONZA, L. ALI; AMBROSI, G.; ARRUDA, L.; ATTIG, N.; AUPETIT, S.; AZZARELLO, P.; BACHLECHNER, A.; BARAO, F.; BARRAU, A.; et al. Observation of New Properties of Secondary Cosmic Rays Lithium, Beryllium, and Boron by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station. Physical Review Letters, v. 120, n. 2, JAN 11 2018. (15/50378-5, 14/19149-7, 16/10222-9)

AGUILAR, M.; CAVASONZA, L. ALI; ALPAT, B.; AMBROSI, G.; ARRUDA, L.; ATTIG, N.; AUPETIT, S.; AZZARELLO, P.; BACHLECHNER, A.; BARAO, F.; et al. Precision Measurement of Cosmic-Ray Nitrogen and its Primary and Secondary Components with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station. Physical Review Letters, v. 121, n. 5, JUL 31 2018. (15/50378-5, 14/19149-7, 16/10222-9)

AGUILAR, M.; CAVASONZA, L. ALI; AMBROSI, G.; ARRUDA, L.; ATTIG, N.; AUPETIT, S.; AZZARELLO, P.; BACHLECHNER, A.; BARAO, F.; BARRAU, A.; et al. Precision Measurement of the Boron to Carbon Flux Ratio in Cosmic Rays from 1.9 GV to 2.6 TV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station. Physical Review Letters, v. 117, n. 23, NOV 28 2016. (15/13533-2, 15/50378-5, 16/10222-9)

AGUILAR, M.; CAVASONZA, L. ALI; ALPAT, B.; AMBROSI, G.; ARRUDA, L.; ATTIG, N.; AUPETIT, S.; AZZARELLO, P.; BACHLECHNER, A.; BARAO, F.; et al. Observation of the Identical Rigidity Dependence of He, C, and O Cosmic Rays at High Rigidities by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station. Physical Review Letters, v. 119, n. 25, DEC 18 2017. (15/50378-5, 14/19149-7, 16/10222-9)