Charge fragmentation in cosmic radiation – and the question of physical anomalons

A. Dutta; V. Batra; S. Biswas; R. Brandt

doi:10.1515/kern-2003-0085

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Article

Charge fragmentation in cosmic radiation – and the question of physical anomalons

A. Dutta , V. Batra , S. Biswas and R. Brandt

Published/Copyright: March 16, 2022

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From the journal Kerntechnik Volume 68 Issue 5-6

Abstract

Data analysis is carried out for four detector stacks composed of passive Lexan polycarbonate detectors exposed in space by the Ultra Heavy Cosmic Ray Experiment on board NASA’s Long Duration Exposure Facility. Scanning and analysis of the 0.21 m² detector area resulted in the finding of 72 ultra heavy (68 ≤ Z ≤ 96) cosmic ray nuclei. About 15% of the cosmic ray nuclei show charge fragmentation within the detector stack of 5.6 g × cm^–2. A detailed analysis of these fragmented cosmic ray nuclei is presented, including a discussion within the context of “physical anomalons”. This last term, describing a sub-set of all anomalon phenomena, is defined in the text.

Abstract

Passive Lexan-Polycarbonate Kernspurdetektoren wurden in dem “Ultra Heavy Cosmic Ray Experiment” auf der “Long Duration Exposure Facility” der NASA mit der ultraschweren Komponente der relativistischen, kosmischen Strahlung (im Bereich der Ordnungszahl chemischer Elemente von 68 bis 96) bestrahlt. Bei der genauen Untersuchung von 0,21 m² dieser Detektorfläche wurden 72 ultra-schwere Nuklide über ihre Kernspuren entdeckt. Etwa 15% dieser Kernspuren werden im Gesamttarget von 5,6 g × cm^–2 weitergehend fragmentiert. Es erfolgt eine genaue Analyse dieser Fragmentierungen im Zusammenhang mit dem Konzept der ,,physikalischen Anomalonen“, letzterer Begriff, der eine Untermenge aller Anomalonen-Phänomene beschreibt, wird im Text definiert.

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Prof. D. O’Sullivan of Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies for providing us exposed detector stack for the present analysis.

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Received: 2003-06-25

Published Online: 2022-03-16

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