Is the strongly penetrating component a sign of the strangelet passage through matter?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gladysz-Dziadus, E.; Wlodarczyk, Z.

1997-01-01

We investigate the possible connection between the very penetrating component, frequently accompanying the cosmic-ray exotic phenomena, and the hypothesis of the formation of strangelets, in the process of strangeness distillation, being the last stage of the evolution of the quark matter droplet. We find that the many-maxima long-range cascades observed in the homogeneous lead emulsion chambers of the Pamir and Chacaltaya experiments can be produced in the process of strangelet penetration through the apparatus. (author)

gamma-Hadron family description by quasi-scaling model at normal nuclear composition of primary cosmic rays

CERN Document Server

Kalmakhelidze, M; Svanidze, M

2002-01-01

Primary Cosmic Rays Nuclear Composition was investigated in energy region 10 sup 1 sup 5 -10 sup 1 sup 6 eV. The study is based on comparison of gamma hadron families observed by Pamir and Pamir-Chacaltaya collaborations with those generated by means of quasi-scaling model MC0 at different nuclear compositions. It was shown that all characteristics of the observed families (including their intensity) are in very good agreement with properties of simulated events MC0 at normal composition and are in disagreement at heavy dominant compositions

Tromboembolismo pulmonar y enfermedad cerebrovascular isquémica embólica en un anciano boliviano

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daymarelis Rodríguez Yero

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Se describe el caso clínico de un paciente de 71 años de edad, quien en el 2008, luego de un episodio de tromboembolismo pulmonar, fuera ingresado en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos del Hospital Integral Comunitario de Chacaltaya en Bolivia, por presentar una enfermedad cerebrovascular isquémica embólica de tipo paradójica, como consecuencia de un agujero oval permeable. Como tratamiento se indicó, primero, heparina de bajo peso molecular y, posteriormente, dicumarínicos, con lo cual el paciente evolucionó satisfactoriamente

Use of water-Cherenkov detectors to detect Gamma Ray Bursts at the Large Aperture GRB Observatory (LAGO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allard, D.; Allekotte, I.; Alvarez, C.; Asorey, H.; Barros, H.; Bertou, X.; Burgoa, O.; Gomez Berisso, M.; Martinez, O.; Miranda Loza, P.; Murrieta, T.; Perez, G.; Rivera, H.; Rovero, A.; Saavedra, O.; Salazar, H.; Tello, J.C.; Ticona Peralda, R.; Velarde, A.; Villasenor, L.

2008-01-01

The Large Aperture GRB Observatory (LAGO) project aims at the detection of high energy photons from Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) using the single particle technique in ground-based water-Cherenkov detectors (WCD). To reach a reasonable sensitivity, high altitude mountain sites have been selected in Mexico (Sierra Negra, 4550 m a.s.l.), Bolivia (Chacaltaya, 5300 m a.s.l.) and Venezuela (Merida, 4765 m a.s.l.). We report on detector calibration and operation at high altitude, search for bursts in 4 months of preliminary data, as well as search for signal at ground level when satellites report a burst

Use of water-Cherenkov detectors to detect Gamma Ray Bursts at the Large Aperture GRB Observatory (LAGO)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allard, D. [APC, CNRS et Universite Paris 7 (France); Allekotte, I. [Centro Atomico Bariloche, Instituto Balseiro (Argentina); Alvarez, C. [Facultad de Ciencias Fisico-Matematicas de la BUAP (Mexico); Asorey, H. [Centro Atomico Bariloche, Instituto Balseiro (Argentina); Barros, H. [Laboratorio de Fisica Nuclear, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Bertou, X. [Centro Atomico Bariloche, Instituto Balseiro (Argentina)], E-mail: bertou@cab.cnea.gov.ar; Burgoa, O. [Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicas, UMSA (Bolivia); Gomez Berisso, M. [Centro Atomico Bariloche, Instituto Balseiro (Argentina); Martinez, O. [Facultad de Ciencias Fisico-Matematicas de la BUAP (Mexico); Miranda Loza, P. [Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicas, UMSA (Bolivia); Murrieta, T.; Perez, G. [Facultad de Ciencias Fisico-Matematicas de la BUAP (Mexico); Rivera, H. [Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicas, UMSA (Bolivia); Rovero, A. [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio (Argentina); Saavedra, O. [Dipartimento di Fisica Generale and INFN, Torino (Italy); Salazar, H. [Facultad de Ciencias Fisico-Matematicas de la BUAP (Mexico); Tello, J.C. [Laboratorio de Fisica Nuclear, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Ticona Peralda, R.; Velarde, A. [Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicas, UMSA (Bolivia); Villasenor, L. [Facultad de Ciencias Fisico-Matematicas de la BUAP (Mexico); Instituto de Fisica y Matematicas, Universidad de Michoacan (Mexico)

2008-09-21

The Large Aperture GRB Observatory (LAGO) project aims at the detection of high energy photons from Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) using the single particle technique in ground-based water-Cherenkov detectors (WCD). To reach a reasonable sensitivity, high altitude mountain sites have been selected in Mexico (Sierra Negra, 4550 m a.s.l.), Bolivia (Chacaltaya, 5300 m a.s.l.) and Venezuela (Merida, 4765 m a.s.l.). We report on detector calibration and operation at high altitude, search for bursts in 4 months of preliminary data, as well as search for signal at ground level when satellites report a burst.

Energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays from 1016eV to 1019eV determined from air showers observed at 5200 m a.s.l

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguirre, C.; Mejia, G.R.; Yoshii, H.; Toyoda, Y.

1977-01-01

Energy spectra of primary cosmic rays from 10 16 eV to 10 19 eV have been determined from electron-sizes as well as from muon-sizes of the same air showers observed at Mt. Chacaltaya. The spectrum from electron-sizes is significantly higher than that from muon-sizes. The discrepancy is discussed and an explanation is given under the assumption of possible existence of copious direct production of photons besides the production of charged and neutral pions at these high energies. The spectra are also compared with those by other groups and the discrepancies are discussed. (author)

Multi-core events in cosmic-ray induced interactions with lead at around 10 TeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amato, N.; Arata, N.

1989-01-01

The analysis is made on the cosmic-ray induced interactions with lead at around 10 TeV on the basis of emulsion chamber data at Chacaltaya. A special attention is paid to the events detected as multi-cores under the spatial resolution of a few tens of microns. The observation of six double-core events and two triple-core events with the average invariant mass of 1.8 GeV/c 2 leads to the estimation on production frequency of such multicores as about 5% at 10 TeV at the atmospheric depth 540 gr/cm 2 . (author)

On exotic fireballs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tati, T.

1984-01-01

Exotic fireballs found by Brazil-Japan Collaboration of Chacaltaya Emulsion Chamber Experiment are interpreted in terms of a model of hadronic matter (of which hadrons are made) based on the theory of finite degree of freedom. It is considered in our picture that exotic fireballs reveal the part left undefined in the renormalization theory of quantum field and nonappearance of exotic fireballs (of relatively small mass, i.e. Mini-Centauro and Geminion) in CERN SPS collider experiment is possibly due to the existence of universal time realized by the cutoff of momentum degree of freedom of the field of basic particles. (Author) [pt

Programa 'nieves y glaciares tropicales' (NGT: resultados (1991-1996 obtenidos en Bolivia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

1998-01-01

Full Text Available PROGRAMME “NEIGES ET GLACIERS TROPICAUX” (NGT: RÉSULTATS (1991-1996 OBTENUS EN BOLIVIE. Depuis 1991, avec ses partenaires la COBEE, l’IHH et le SENAMHI, l’ORSTOM a progressivement équipé 2 glaciers de la Cordillère Royale de Bolivie, les glaciers de Chacaltaya et Zongo. Cet équipement a permis de réaliser les bilans glaciologiques des 2 glaciers et les bilans hydrologique et énergétique du glacier Zongo. Les principaux résultats, glaciologique, hydrologique et énergétique, sont fournis dans cette communication. Un premier modèle physique du fonctionnement du glacier Zongo a été réalisé, avec des premiers résultats qui permettent d’entreprendre un modèle plus élaboré susceptible d’être généralisé à d’autres glaciers. Des carottages de neige et glace à haute altitude ont confirmé la possibilité d’exploiter ces véritables archives climatologiques. Desde 1991, con sus contrapartes COBEE, IHH y SENAMHI, el ORSTOM ha equipado progresivamente 2 glaciares de la Cordillera Real de Bolivia, los glaciares de Chacaltaya y Zongo. Este equipo ha permitido realizar los balances glaciológicos de los 2 glaciares y los balances hidrológico y energético del glaciar Zongo. Los principales resultados, glaciológicos, hidrológicos y energéticos, son proporcionados en esta comunicación. Se realizó un primer modelo físico del funcionamiento del glaciar Zongo, con primeros resultados que permiten comenzar un modelo más elaborado capaz de ser generalizado a otros glaciares. Extracciones de testigos de nieve y hielo a gran altura confirmaron la posibilidad de aprovechar estos verdaderos archivos climatológicos. PROGRAM “SNOWS AND GLACIERS IN THE TROPICS” (NGT: PRINCIPAL RESULTS IN BOLIVIA (1991-1996. Since 1991, two glaciers of the Royal Cordillera of Bolivia, the glaciers of Chacaltaya and Zongo, have been equipped by ORSTOM with his partners COBEE, IHH and SENAMHI. That equipment allowed to carry out the glaciological

Rare Particle Searches with the high altitude SLIM experiment

CERN Document Server

Balestra, S; Fabbri, F; Giacomelli, G; Giacomelli, R; Giorgini, M; Kumar, A; Manzoor, S; McDonald, J; Margiotta, A; Medinaceli, E; Nogales, J; Patrizii, L; Popa, V; Quereshi, I; Saavedra, O; Sher, G; Shahzad, M; Spurio, M; Ticona, R; Togo, V; Velarde, A; Zanini, A

2005-01-01

The search for rare particles in the cosmic radiation remains one of the main aims of non-accelerator particle astrophysics. Experiments at high altitude allow lower mass thresholds with respect to detectors at sea level or underground. The SLIM experiment is a large array of nuclear track detectors located at the Chacaltaya High Altitude Laboratory (5290 m a.s.l.). The preliminary results from the analysis of a part of the first 236 sq.m exposed for more than 3.6 y are here reported. The detector is sensitive to Intermediate Mass Magnetic Monopoles and to SQM nuggets and Q-balls, which are possible Dark Matter candidates.

Study on target interactions in emulsion chamber - Brasil-Japan emulsion chamber collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Ballester, M.; Santos, C.; Bellandi Filho, J.; Chinellato, J. A.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Lattes, C. M. G.; Marques, A.; Menon, M. J.; Navia, C. E.; Sawayanagi, K.

Experimental results are presented from observations of 80 target nuclear interactions where the total gamma-ray energy is greater than or equal to 20 TeV. Evidence is presented for the existence of two types of interactions; the interpretation is given on the basis of a fire-ball model. Two-story emulsion chambers exposed at Mount Chacaltaya, in Bolivia (5,220 m above sea level), are used. Gamma rays from nuclear interactions in the target layer of petroleum pitch (1/3 of the nuclear mean free path in thickness) are detected through observations of the electron showers generated by them in the lower chamber

Nuclear interactions of super high energy cosmic-rays observed by mountain emulsion chambers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Here is presented a summary of joint discussions on the results of three mountain experiments with large-scale emulsion chambers, at Pamir, Mt. Fuji and Chacaltaya. The observation covers gamma-quanta, hadrons and their clusters (called ''families''). Following topics are covered concerning on characteristics of nuclear interactions in energy region of 10 14 - 10 16 eV: 1) rapid dissipation seen in atmospheric diffusion of high energy cosmic-rays, 2) multiplicity and p sub(t) increase in produced pimesons in the fragmentation region, 3) existence of large p sub(t) jets, 4) extremely-hadron-rich family of Centauro type, 5) exotic phenomena at extremely high energy region beyond 10 16 eV. (author)

Exact solution of the nucleons diffusion equation with increase inelastic cross section

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portella, H.M.

1985-01-01

The successive aproximations method is applied to obtain an exact and compact analytical solution of the differential equation wich describes the diffusion of nucleonic component in the atmosphere, when the inelastic cross section of the air interaction nucleon-nucleus increases with the energy. The result is compared with the experimental data wich have been obtained in Chacaltaya (x=540g/cm 2 ) by the Brazil - Japan cooperation using emulsion chambers. The value of the constant a measurement of the variation of the cross section with the energy, that makes the best adjustment of the result found out with the experimental data is between 0.05 and 0.06. (M.C.K.) [pt

Observations on multiple pion production by hadrons of cosmic radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mantovani, M.S.M.

1971-01-01

Using two emulsion chambers exposed at Mt. Chacaltaya with jet producer layers of pitch, about 100 nuclear interactions were detected and analyzed. The results are compared with other experiments. Emission of a small fireball with M sub(γ) approximately equal to 1.3 Gev/c 2 is confirmed im multiple production process. Re-analysis of the Bristol-Bombay experiment of a balloon emulsion chamber confirmed the existence of such emission and added informations about emission of a intermediate state of higher mass (M sub(γ) approximately equal to 7.7 Gev/c 2 ). Fireball analysis on the Texas Lone Star of the Bristol Group shows a fireball of still larger mass (M sub(γ) approximately equal to 78 Gev/c 2 )

Search for massive rare particles with the SLIM experiment

CERN Document Server

Balestra, S.; Fabbri, F.; Giacomelli, G.; Kumar, A.; Manzoor, S.; McDonald, J.; Medinaceli, E.; Nogales, J.; Patrizii, L.; Pinfold, J.; Popa, V.; Qureshi, I.; Saavedra, O.; Sher, G.; Shahzad, M.; Spurio, M.; Ticona, R.; Togo, V.; Velarde, A.; Zanini, A.

2005-01-01

The search for magnetic monopoles in the cosmic radiation remains one of the main aims of non-accelerator particle astrophysics. Experiments at high altitude allow lower mass thresholds with respect to detectors at sea level or underground. The SLIM experiment is a large array of nuclear track detectors at the Chacaltaya High Altitude Laboratory (5290 m a.s.l.). The results from the analysis of 171 m$^2$ exposed for more than 3.5 y are here reported. The completion of the analysis of the whole detector will allow to set the lowest flux upper limit for Magnetic Monopoles in the mass range 10$^5$ - 10$^{12}$ GeV. The experiment is also sensitive to SQM nuggets and Q-balls, which are possible Dark Matter candidates.

Observations on nuclear interaction characteristics at high energy (Σ Eγ > 10TeV): for events of heavy invariant mass (M(γ) > 25 GeV/c2) and large transversal moment (tγ > ∼ 0.5 GeV/c)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navia Ojeda, C.E.

1985-02-01

A sistematic analysis is made on cosmic-ray induced atmospheric interactions detected by Brazil-Japan Collaborations, with the purpose of obtaining parameters which characterize Guacu-Type (invariant gamma ray mass > 25 GeV/c, multiplicity N γ ∼ 75 and γ >∼ 0,5 GeV/c) events. The described events have been observed by the Brazil-Japan Collaboration on Chacaltaya Emulsion Chamber Experiment during past 23 years. They are part of 195 events with observed energias in the gamma-ray part, ranging from 12 to 1000 TeV.Six events are found to pass criteria used here; this result may be used to obtain a lower limit for Guacu-Type event productions. An individual analysis is made on six candidates of Guacu-Type event. (author) [pt

Unchanged cerebral blood flow and oxidative metabolism after acclimatization to high altitude

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Kirsten; Paulson, Olaf B; Hornbein, Thomas F.

2002-01-01

The authors investigated the effect of acclimatization to high altitude on cerebral blood flow and oxidative metabolism at rest and during exercise. Nine healthy, native sea-level residents were studied 3 weeks after arrival at Chacaltaya, Bolivia (5,260 m) and after reacclimatization to sea level....... At high altitude at rest, arterial carbon dioxide tension, oxygen saturation, and oxygen tension were significantly reduced, and arterial oxygen content was increased because of an increase in hemoglobin concentration. Global cerebral blood flow was similar in the four conditions. Cerebral oxygen delivery...... and cerebral metabolic rates of oxygen and glucose also remained unchanged, whereas cerebral metabolic rates of lactate increased slightly but nonsignificantly at high altitude during exercise compared with high altitude at rest. Reaction time was unchanged. The data indicate that cerebral blood flow...

Longitudinal development of air-shower electrons studied from the arrival time distributions of atmospheric Cerenkov light measured at 5200 m above sea level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, N.; Kaneko, T.; Yoshii, H.

1985-01-01

The longitudinal development of electrons in extensive air showers before the maximum has been studied by measuring the arrival time distributions of atmospheric Cerenkov light from air showers, with primary energies in the range 6 x 10 15 to 2 x 10 17 eV, in the Chacaltaya air-shower array. These arrival time distributions are consistent with those calculated using a model of particle interactions which contain Feynman scaling in the fragmentation region, an Esup(1/2) multiplicity law in the pionisation region and a rising cross section for primary protons. Such a model also reproduces the arrival time distributions of Cerenkov light measured in the Akeno air-shower array as described in the preceding paper, which implies a very fast development before the maximum and a slow development after the maximum. (author)

An observation on a cosmic-ray induced event

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawayanagi, K.

1990-01-01

The authors observed a big A-jet family in the chamber No. 21. In this paper summary of the family is given though some of the results are preliminary. Emulsion chamber technique has been giving a way of observing ultrahigh energy atmospheric interactions made by cosmic-ray radiations with fine spacial resolution and good stability for a long duration of exposure. The two-story structure of emulsion chamber adopted by Brasil-Japan Collaboration on Emulsion Chamber Experiments at Mt. Chacaltaya makes it possible to observe local interactions within the chamber in addition to atmospheric interactions at the same time. For this purpose an inner target layer of plastic/petroleum pitch is located between the upper and the lower parts of the chamber. The observation of these local interactions, called C-jets, is used to make auto-calibration of energies of observed cascade showers

Observation of intensity of cosmic rays and daily magnetic shifts near meridian 70° in the South America

Science.gov (United States)

Cordaro, E. G.; Gálvez, D.; Laroze, D.

2016-05-01

In analysis of experiments carried during September 2008 using secondary cosmic ray detectors located in Chacaltaya (Bolivia) and Niteroi (Brazil), Augusto et al. (2010) showed an increase in the intensity of charged particles which takes place 3 h after sunrise and lasts until 1 h after sunset, furthermore they said that during this period the solar magnetic field lines overtake the Earth‧s surface. These stations are located within the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly (SAMA), having both different magnetic rigidities. To reproduce data from the Niteroi and Chacaltaya stations, we record data during the same hours and days using our neutron monitors, muon telescopes and magnetometers within the stations Putre and Los Cerrillos. Our observation stations in Putre and Cerrillos are located at 18°11‧47.8″S, 69°33‧10.9″W at an altitude of 3600 m and 33°29‧42.3″S, 70°42‧59.81″W with 570 m height above sea level, respectively. These stations are located within the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAMA) and are separated approximately 1700 km from each other and 1700 km from the center of the anomaly. Our network is composed furthermore by two auxiliary Cosmic Ray and/or Geomagnetic stations located at different latitudes along 70°W meridian, LARC and O'Higgins stations, which are located within Antarctic territory, covering a broad part of the Southern Hemisphere. Our magnetometer data shows that for each of the components, shifts in the magnetic field intensity for every station (even for those out of the SAMA) lasted between 3 and 4 h after sunrise and 1 and 2 h past sunset, which are the periods when the geomagnetic field is modulated by the transit of the dayside to nightside and nightside to dayside. We believe that, although the magnetometric data indicates the magnetic reconnection for the Chilean region, there is no direct influence from the SAMA other than the lower rigidity cut-off that leads to an increased count rate. Other details about the

New air Cherenkov light detectors to study mass composition of cosmic rays with energies above knee region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsunesada, Yoshiki, E-mail: tsunesada@cr.phys.titech.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550 Japan (Japan); Katsuya, Ryoichi, E-mail: katsuya@cr.phys.titech.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550 Japan (Japan); Mitsumori, Yu; Nakayama, Keisuke; Kakimoto, Fumio; Tokuno, Hisao [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550 Japan (Japan); Tajima, Norio [RIKEN, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Miranda, Pedro; Salinas, Juan; Tavera, Wilfredo [Instituto de Investigaciones Físicas, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz (Bolivia, Plurinational State of)

2014-11-01

We have installed a hybrid detection system for air showers generated by cosmic rays with energies greater than 3×10{sup 15}eV at Mount Chacaltaya (5200 m above the sea level), in order to study the mass composition of cosmic rays above the knee region. This detection system comprises an air shower array with 49 scintillation counters in an area of 500 m×650 m, and seven new Cherenkov light detectors installed in a radial direction from the center of the air shower array with a separation of 50 m. It is known that the longitudinal development of a particle cascade in the atmosphere strongly depends on the type of the primary nucleus, and an air shower initiated by a heavier nucleus develops faster than that by a lighter primary of the same energy, because of the differences in the interaction cross-section and the energy per nucleon. This can be measured by detecting the Cherenkov radiation emitted from charged particles in air showers at higher altitudes. In this paper we describe the design and performance of our new non-imaging Cherenkov light detectors at Mount Chacaltaya that are operated in conjunction with the air shower array. The arrival directions and energies of air showers are determined by the shower array, and information about the primary masses is obtained from the Cherenkov light data including the time profiles and lateral distributions. The detector consists of photomultiplier tube (PMT), high-speed ADCs, other control modules, and data storage device. The Cherenkov light signals from an air shower are typically 10–100 ns long, and the waveforms are digitized with a sampling frequency of 1 GHz and recorded in situ without long-distance analog signal transfers. All the Cherenkov light detectors record their time-series data by receiving a triggering signal transmitted from the trigger module of the air shower array, which is fired by a coincidence of shower signals in four neighboring scintillation counters. The optical characteristics of the

Changes in BOLD and ADC weighted imaging in acute hypoxia during sea-level and altitude adapted states

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rostrup, Egill; Larsson, Henrik B.W.; Born, Alfred P.

2005-01-01

possible structural changes as measured by diffusion weighted imaging. Eleven healthy sea-level residents were studied after 5 weeks of adaptation to high altitude conditions at Chacaltaya, Bolivia (5260 m). The subjects were studied immediately after return to sea-level in hypoxic and normoxic conditions...... was slightly elevated in high altitude as compared to sea-level adaptation. It is concluded that hypoxia significantly diminishes the BOLD response, and the mechanisms underlying this finding are discussed. Furthermore, altitude adaptation may influence both the magnitude of the activation-related response......, and the examinations repeated 6 months later after re-adaptation to sea-level conditions. The BOLD response, measured at 1.5 T, was severely reduced during acute hypoxia both in the altitude and sea-level adapted states (50% reduction during an average S(a)O(2) of 75%). On average, the BOLD response magnitude was 23...

High energy physics in cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, Lawrence W. [University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States)

2013-02-07

In the first half-century of cosmic ray physics, the primary research focus was on elementary particles; the positron, pi-mesons, mu-mesons, and hyperons were discovered in cosmic rays. Much of this research was carried out at mountain elevations; Pic du Midi in the Pyrenees, Mt. Chacaltaya in Bolivia, and Mt. Evans/Echo Lake in Colorado, among other sites. In the 1960s, claims of the observation of free quarks, and satellite measurements of a significant rise in p-p cross sections, plus the delay in initiating accelerator construction programs for energies above 100 GeV, motivated the Michigan-Wisconsin group to undertake a serious cosmic ray program at Echo Lake. Subsequently, with the succession of higher energy accelerators and colliders at CERN and Fermilab, cosmic ray research has increasingly focused on cosmology and astrophysics, although some groups continue to study cosmic ray particle interactions in emulsion chambers.

On the use of the South-American neutron monitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cordaro, E. G. [Santiago de Chile Univ., Santiago de Chile (Chile). Facultad de Ciencias Fisicas y Matematicas, Dept. de Fisica, Lewis Research Center; Storini, M. [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario, Rome (Italy); Rome Univ. Tre, Rome (Italy). Dipt. di Fisica, Raggi Cosmici

2001-10-01

Cosmic ray scientific community deserves special attention to the Chacaltaya site for its over 5 km altitude. In this site, a neutron monitor of the IGY type operated from 1960 to 1969, and the one of the NM-64 type since 1966 (16.31{sup 0}S, 291.85{sup 0}E, height: about 5200 m a.s.l.). It was discussed the relevance of such kind of detector when it is integrated with the other South-American neutron monitors: a) LARC (62.20{sup 0}S, 301.04{sup 0}E, height: 40 m a.s.l., King George Island, Antarctica; operating since 1991); b) Los Cerrillos (33.45{sup 0}S, 289.40{sup 0}E, height: 570 m a. s. l., Santiago, Chile; to be installed in the near future); c) Huancayo (12.03{sup 0}S, 284.67{sup 0}E, height: 3400 m a.s.l., Huancayo, Peru; hoping to recover its acquired data).

Energy and zenith angle dependence of atmospheric muons

CERN Document Server

Maeda, K

1973-01-01

The recently proposed new process for energetic-muon production in the atmosphere should be tested at Mt. Chacaltaya. Rigorous calculations of zenith-angle distribution of atmospheric muons have been made for the altitude of 5200 m above sea level with energy range from 100 GeV to 100 TeV and for zenith angles from 0 degrees to 92.3 degrees . Calculations are based on the extension of the Chapman function to the case of a non-isothermal atmosphere, taking into account (i) energy- dependent nuclear-interaction mean free path of cosmic-ray hadrons in air, (ii) different magnitudes of photonuclear cross-section in the energy-loss process of muons in the atmosphere, (iii) contributions of atmospheric muons arriving below the horizontal directions, and (iv) atmospheric structure and geomagnetic deflection. Results are compared with those corresponding to sea level. Range straggling, particularly its effect on horizontally incident muons, is investigated by Monte Carlo calculation, indicating that its effects and t...

Gross features of nuclear interactions around 1015 eV through observation of gamma ray families

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semba, Hiroshi

1983-01-01

A systematic analysis is made on the 106 γ-ray families with visible energy in the range of 100--300 TeV observed in the Chacaltaya emulsion chamber experiment. A new method called 'decascading' is introduced to pick up a cluster of γ-rays and electrons in a family, so that the cluster is an air cascade from one parent γ-ray. The application of 'decascading' method to the family data gives information on original γ-rays produced at the atmospheric nuclear interactions. The results are compared with expected ones from the simulation calculation on the base of H-quantum model, and with data from the target interactions at lower energy range (ΣE sub(γ)=20 --100 TeV). The conclusion is that the characteristics of nuclear interactions at the concerned family energy range (E 0 asymptotically equals 1,000 TeV) are in accordance with those at the target interaction range (E 0 asymptotically equals 100 TeV), with increased ratio of frequencies of a heavy fire-ball (SH-quantum) to a small and usual fire-ball (H-quantum). (author)

Systematic analysis of γ-ray families, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semba, Hiroshi

1984-01-01

Atmospheric nuclear interactions caused by cosmic rays are observed in the Chacaltaya emulsion chamber experiment. A systematic analysis is made on 106 events (γ-ray families) with visible energy in the range of 100 - 300 TeV. A new method called 'decascading' is introduced to pick up a cluster of γ-rays and electrons in a family, so that the cluster is an air cascade from one parent γ-ray. The application of 'decascading' method to the family data gives information on original γ-rays produced at the atmospheric interactions. The results are compared with data from the traget interactions at lower energy range ΣEsub(γ)=20 - 100 TeV). The conclusion is that the characteristics of nuclear interactions at the concerned family energy range (E deg approximately equal to 1,000 TeV) are in accordance with those at the target interaction range (E deg approximately equal to 100 TeV), with increased ratio of frequencies of a heavy fire-ball (SH-quantum) to a small and usual fire-ball (H-quantum). (author)

Nuclear Track Detectors. Searches for Exotic Particles

CERN Document Server

Giacomelli, Giorgio

2008-01-01

We used Nuclear Track Detectors (NTD) CR39 and Makrofol for many purposes: i) Exposures at the SPS and at lower energy accelerator heavy ion beams for calibration purposes and for fragmentation studies. ii) Searches for GUT and Intermediate Mass Magnetic Monopoles (IMM), nuclearites, Q-balls and strangelets in the cosmic radiation. The MACRO experiment in the Gran Sasso underground lab, with ~1000 m^2 of CR39 detectors (plus scintillators and streamer tubes), established an upper limit for superheavy GUT poles at the level of 1.4x10^-16 cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1 for 4x10^-5 Chacaltaya lab (5230 m a.s.l.), using 427 m^2 of CR39 detectors exposed for 4.22 y, gave an upper limit for IMMs of ~1.3x10^-15 cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1. The experiments yielded interesting upper limits also on the fluxes of the other mentioned exotic particles. iii) Environmental studies, radiation monitoring, neutron dosimetry.

Extremely high energy gamma-ray and hadron families with halo (II)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, S.; Ohsawa, A.; Chinellato, J.A.; Shibuya, E.H.

1984-01-01

The five highest energy events with the total observed energy exceeding 10 15 eV, observed by Chacaltaya emulsion chambers, are analysed and their characteristic feature are presented. Those big events are named Andromeda(halo 21,000 TeV and spots 6,140 TeV), Ursa Maior(980 TeV and 1,880 TeV), M.A.I(3,200 TeV and 1,340 TeV), M.A.II(1,300 TeV and 890 TeV) and M.A.III(5,100 TeV and 3,700 TeV). In the energy flow distributions of them, sharp peak indicating concentration of energy is found at small distance from a family center. Such concentration of energy may make a halo. If we represent the characteristic of such concentration of energy as (distance from the family center to the peak) x (energy sum within the distance), its order of magnitude becomes a few GeV.km for each big family. Comparisons are made with the simulation calculation carried out by M. Shibata. (author)

Atmospheric families with SEγ > 100 TeV detected in nuclear emulsion and lead chambers exposed at Chacaltaya Mountain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maldonado, R.H.C.

1980-03-01

Hadromic interactions from cosmic radiation with observed energy greater than 100TeV, using a high statistics, are analyzed. Only hadronic interactions in the atmosphere are considered, using a method in which the height of the interactions is implicitly taking into account. The data belong to the Brazil-Japan Collaboration. (L.C.) [pt

Study of energy determination of gamma-ray observed with an emulsion chamber with a large gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inui, Tamiki; Otsuka, Taeko; Masaoka, Akiko

1982-01-01

The development of large size emulsion chambers has been made to study very high energy events. For this purpose, the chambers with exchangeable light sensitive layers are considered. The chambers have large gap for the exchange. In this case, it becomes hard to determine the energy of cascade shower. In this report, the authors describe on the experimental examples observed at Mt. Chacaltaya. The effect of a gap was investigated by these examples, and the simulation method by Okamoto and Shibata was applied to the chamber. The chamber used for the observation consisted of the top chamber of 11 c.u. and the bottom chamber of 15 c.u. There was a large gap of 170 cm between two chambers. Twelve showers in three families observed by this system were analyzed. The difference between the blackness in the top and bottom films was studied quantitatively. The blackness was calibrated for the electron density. Four methods of energy determination were studied. Among them, a method to employ the sum of the maximum blackness of a top film and that of a bottom one was used for the analysis. This method seemed to be more reliable than the old method. It was found by a simulation calculation that the recovery of shower in the bottom chamber was seen not only by hardrons but also by gamma-ray. (Kato, T.)

Sulfur and trace metal relationships in nonurban and marine aerosols studied using proton induced X-ray emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winchester, J.W.

1977-01-01

As an example of the application of the PIXE analysis technique to the study of sulfur and related trace metals in aerosol samples from nonurban locations, results obtained from a remote continental station in the Southern Hemisphere, Chacaltaya Mountain near La Paz, Bolivia, and a mid-ocean station in the Atlantic of the Northern Hemisphere, at Bermuda, are compared. In Bolivian filter samples, the proportions of Si, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Rb, and Sr are within the ranges expected from the subaerial erosion of major rock types of the earth's crust. However, the proportions, relative to Fe, of S, Cu, Zn, As, and Pb are enriched 10-100 times in comparison with the compositions of major rock types. In Bermuda cascade impactor samples summed over all particle sizes, the ratio S/Zn and the relative proportions of K, Ca, and Fe resemble those observed in Bolivia. Total Fe concentrations in Bermuda average about 60 ng/m 3 , similar to concentrations observed in Bolivia. However, the ratios S/Fe and Zn/Fe are 10 times greater in Bermuda than in Bolivia, and these ratios are greatest for smallest particles and decrease sharply with increasing particle size. The higher S and Zn concentrations in Bermuda may result from the combined effect of natural processes which control the atmospheric enrichment of chalcophile elements of long range transport from pollution sources in urban and industrial centers. (Auth.)

Analysis of the big halo event observed by Pamir emulsion chamber -P3B-90-

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, Seibun

1986-01-01

There is observed a big air family (named as 'P3B-90') with a large halo by Pamir carbon chamber, called P3B, in USSR-Japan joint experiment at Pamir plateau (4370 m above sea level). Total observed energy of this halo is estimated to be 19000 TeV. It penetrates through both the upper and the lower chamber without decreasing its size. Such strong penetrative power is due to the existence of many hadrons in the halo region which are produced through the atmospheric successive interactions. The energy ratio of hadronic part to electromagnetic part is 1/3 and it is nearly equal to the case of 'Andromeda' observed in Chacaltaya experiment. On the other hand, 298 shower spots (>1 TeV) with total observed energy 1163 TeV are found within about 30 cm of radius from the center of the family. Among the observed shower spots, 45 spots are identified as hadronic ones, whose total observed energy is 345 TeV and 253 spots are electromagnetic ones with total observed energy 818 TeV. There exists a large difference in the power index of the energy spectrum between the electromagnetic and the hadronic components. That is, the hadronic component has a harder spectrum than the electromagnetic component. It shows that there exist a lot of hadrons in high energy region among the observed shower spots. This seems to be a general tendency of the super-high energy families. (author)

New results from Ooty EAS array for cosmic sources at PeV energies: Cygnus X-3, Crab pulsar and Sco X-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonwar, S.C.; Gupta, S.K.; Gopalakrishnan, N.V.; Rajeev, M.R.; Srivatsan, R.; Sreekantan, B.V.

1990-01-01

Ooty group has reported detection of a steady signal from Cyg X-3 based on observations made during 1984-86 through detection of a directional excess. Further analysis of data has revealed a significant flux enhancement during April 1986, confirming observations reported by the CYGNUS group at Los Alamos and the Baksan group. These results show conclusively that the flux from Cyg X-3 is variable over a time scale of few weeks. We also report here the details of an unusual burst from Cyg X-3, consisting of 5 showers in 13 minutes, on June 19, 1985, which shows the variability of the flux from Cyg X-3 on a much shorter time scale of few minutes. Our analysis of showers arriving from the direction of the Crab pulsar has shown only a small time-averaged excess. But these data, when folded with the Crab pulsar period, show a very significant excess at the expected phase of the optical interpulse. This is the first detection of 33 ms pulsation in the PeV energy flux from the Crab pulsar. The exact alignment of the phase of emission over nearly 20 decades of energy, from meter wavelengths to PeV, makes the Crab pulsar a really unique source to study and understand details of mechanisms for emission and acceleration of particles in compact sources. We also present here a discussion of our observations on another X-ray binary, Sco X-1. Ooty data show a very significant excess in the number of showers from the direction of Sco X-1 during a two month period in 1986, in agreement with observations reported by the Mt. Chacaltaya group. These observations establish this X-ray binary as another important source of PeV energy radiation. (orig.)

Glacial recession in the Tropical Andes from the Little Ice Age: the case of Ampato Volcanic Complex (Southern Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Alcalá, J.; Palacios, D.; Zamorano, J. J.

2010-03-01

Data published over the last decade reveal substantial glacial recession in the tropical Andes since the Little Ice Age (LIA), (Ramirez, et al., 2001; Rabatel, et al., 2005; Rabatel, et al., 2008; Vuille, et al., 2008; Hastenrath, 2009; Jomelli, et al., 2009), and a growing rate of recession since the 1980’s caused by global warming (Ramirez, et al., 2001; Vuille, et al., 2008). Today there is great interest in the evolution of these ice masses due to heightened awareness of climate change and of the strategic importance that glaciers have as a hydrologic resource for communities in arid climate zones in the tropical Andes (Mark, 2008; Vuille et al., 2008). Cordillera Blanca forms part of the Andes Mountains of northern Peru, and is a chosen site for many studies on glacier evolution. Vuille et al. 2008 determined that a considerable area of ice mass was lost at Huascarán-Chopicalqui glacier (18% from 1920-1970) and Astesonraju glacier (20% from 1962-2003). Studies at Coropuna volcano, which has the most extensive glacier field in the western range of southern Peru, also report a strong melting trend that began with only minimal recession from 1955-1986 (4%), but increased to 14% from 1986-2007 (Úbeda et al., 2009). Only a few of the Andes glaciers are consistently monitored, and the most comprehensive data are for Chacaltaya and Zongo glaciers (16º S) in Bolivia. Since the maximum LIA, Chacaltaya has lost 89% of its surface area, particularly in recent years. By 1983, the totaled loss was five times the shrinkage for the period 1940-1963 (Ramirez, et al., 2001). Zongo glacier maintained equilibrium from 1956-1975, but later experienced a period dominated by continuous recession (Soruco, et al., 2009). This study expands current knowledge of glacier evolution since the LIA in the Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ; 14º - 27º S) (Stern, 2004) of the Andes. The study site was chosen in an area that had never been used for preliminary research of this type, concretely

Observation and analysis of cosmic electromagnetic cascades detected in lead photoemulsion chamber of the Brazil-Japan cooperation, exposed in Monte Chacaltaya, Bolivia (altitude 5200m, air pressure 550 gr.cm-2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastos, C.A.

1971-04-01

The cosmic gamma radiations in the photoemulsion chamber for Brazil-Japan Cooperation are studied. These radiations reproduces the electromagnetic component of extensive air showers at the begining of its development through the atmosphere. The gamma radiations, which is 0 Π meson decay products emitted in nuclear interaction, are detected by electromagnetic cascades which are developed when they reach the photoemulsion chamber. Cosmic gamma radiations is a set of parallel electromagnetic cascades proceeding from nuclear interactions. The information about high energy nuclear interactions making possible to study the structure of extensive air showers at the beginning of its development and multiple meson production are obtained. (M.C.K.) [pt

The LAGO Collaboration: Searching for high energy GRB emissions in Latin America

Science.gov (United States)

Barros, H.; Lago Collaboration

2012-02-01

During more than a decade Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB a cosmological phenomena of tremendous power) have been extensively studied in the keV - MeV energy range. However, the higher energy emission still remains a mystery. The Large Aperture GRB Observatory (L.A.G.O.) is an international collaboration started in 2005 aiming at a better understanding of the GRB by studying their emission at high energies (> 1 GeV), where the fluxes are low and measurements by satellites are difficult. This is done using the Single Particle Technique, by means of ground-based Water Cherenkov Detectors (WCD) at sites of high altitude. At those altitudes it is possible to detect air showers produced by high energy photons from the GRB, i. e. a higher rate of events on a short time scale, of the order of the second. The Pierre Auger Observatory could detect such GRB given its large number of detectors, but at 1400 m.a.s.l. the expected signal is quite small. At higher altitudes, similar performance is expected with only a very small number of WCD. As of 2011, high altitude WCD are in operation at Sierra Negra (Mexico, 4650 m.a.s.l.), Chacaltaya (Bolivia, 5200 m.a.s.l.), Maracapomacocha (Peru, 4200 m.a.s.l.), and new WCDs are being installed in Venezuela (Pico Espejo, 4750 m.a.s.l.), Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Guatemala. Most of the new WCDs will not be at high enough altitude to detect GRB, never the less it will allow obtaining valuable measurements of secondaries at ground level, which are relevant for solar physics. The LAGO sensitivity to GRB is determined from simulations (under a sudden increase of 1 GeV - 1 TeV photons from a GRB) of the gamma initiated particle shower in the atmosphere and the WCD response to secondaries. We report on WDC calibration and operation at high altitude, GRB detectability, background rates, search for bursts in several months of preliminary data, as well as search for signals at ground level when satellite burst is reported, all these show the

Physicochemical effects of cosmic rays in solids: analyses by mass spectrometry and by infrared spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silveira, Enio F. da

2012-01-01

Full text: Cosmic Rays (CR) are studied since their discovery by Victor Hess in the years 1911-1913. Interestingly, the beginning of research in Physics in Brazil started with experiments on CR. B. Gross (INT/ Rio), G. Wataghin and G. Occhialini (USP) started their investigation on CR in 1934. F.X. Roser, the founder of the Physics Institute of PUC-Rio, worked with Hess when he got the Nobel Prize in 1936. C. Lattes got in 1947 the experimental data in Chacaltaya that conducted to the discovery of the meson pi (C. Powell, Nobel Prize in 1950). Nowadays, the Auger Project deals with extremely high energy extragalactic particles. Except for these ones, the origin, the energy and mass distributions of CR constituents and their capability of producing elementary particles are well known. Nevertheless, there is an enormous lack of information on the effects caused by the CR on inorganic and biological materials. This motivates measurements of relevant physicochemical data, such as sputtering yields, cross sections for inducing chemical reactions and crystalline structure parameters. A fascinating question about CR is if they are/were the responsible for the transformation of inorganic into organic material, synthesizing therefore pre-biotic molecules in whole Universe. Nuclear Physics instrumentation is well suited to answer this question, providing ion sources and ion accelerators from keV to GeV. Time-of-flight mass spectrometry and FTIR infrared spectroscopy are techniques able to monitor the physicochemical modifications induced by the RC beam analogs. Data obtained in the GANIL (France) and Van de Graaff (PUC-Rio) accelerators are presented. Abundant inorganic molecular species in space, such as H 2 O, CO, CO 2 and NH 3 , are condensed in laboratory and bombarded by H to Fe ions, from 10 -3 to 10 3 MeV/u, covering the CR range. New chemical species are identified; sputtering yields (Y), formation (σf ) and destruction (σd) cross sections are measured. An

Cosmic rays: an in-flight hazard?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Sullivan, Denis

2000-01-01

muons and electrons makes up about 10% of the natural background at sea level. Some years ago, the European Union expressed concern at the patchy knowledge available on the radiation field at aircraft altitudes. It funded a major investigation during the last minimum in solar activity between 1995 and 1998. These investigations have recently received further significant support and a major European study will be continued through the solar maximum between 2000 and 2003. But why the sudden interest in the situation now? After all, we have been travelling at altitudes up to 17 km for decades, and few of us seem to care about being bombarded by high-energy particles. One of the main reasons is concern that the relative biological damage caused by neutrons may have been underestimated in the past. In addition, there is an increasing trend for subsonic aircraft to fly at higher cruising altitudes. And the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has recently made a series of recommendations concerning exposure to cosmic rays. Neutrons are the major source of concern because they occur in significant numbers at aircraft altitudes. An improved understanding of their role in the radiation field is therefore important. Following the ICRP recommendations, the European Union has revised its basic safety-standards directive to include, for the first time, exposure to naturally occurring sources of ionizing radiation including cosmic radiation as an occupational hazard. The revised directive is being incorporated into the laws of the EU member states this month, and monitoring of aircrew will soon become mandatory. The research team has developed several different types of detector for the project, some of which have operated at high altitude on the Zugspitze mountain in Germany and Chacaltaya in Bolivia. In addition, the detectors were placed in high-energy beams at particle accelerators at Uppsala University in Sweden, the GSI laboratory in Germany and at CERN in