HR: 16:20h
AN: SH54A-01    [Abstracts]
TI: Antimatter Research with Pamela Space Mission
AU: * Picozza, P
EM: Piergiorgio.picozza@roma2.infn.it
AF: University and INFN of Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, Rome, 00133, Italy
AB: The Space Mission Pamela, launched in orbit on 15 June 2006, represents the state-of-the-art of the investigation of the cosmic radiation to address the most compelling issues facing astrophysics and cosmology: the nature of the dark matter that pervades the universe, the apparent absence of cosmological antimatter, the origin and evolution of matter in the galaxy. Pamela detector is composed of a permanent magnetic spectrometer equipped with a series of scintillator counters arranged at the extremities to provide charge, Time-of-Flight and rigidity information. Lepton/hadron identification is performed by a Silicon-Tungsten calorimeter and a Neutron detector placed at the bottom of the device. An Anticounter system is used offline to reject false triggers coming from the satellite. The primary scientific goal of the Pamela investigation is the search for evidence of non baryonic particles falling outside Standard Model particles physics and of heavy antinuclei.. Concomitant, but not secondary, goals are the study of the energy dependence of cosmic ray lifetimes in the Galaxy, the validation of models of acceleration, transport and secondary production of cosmic radiation in the Galaxy, the monitoring of the solar activity and the knowledge of the role of solar and terrestrial relationships in the energetic particle propagation in the heliosphere. The observational objectives are the measurements of the fluxes and the energy spectra of antiprotons, protons. positrons, electrons and light nuclei in a very large energy range and the search for antinuclei with a sensitivity of the order of 10^-7 in antiHe/He . The satellite is flying in high inclination, 70° low Earth Orbit (350-600 km), performing measurements in different points and conditions of the geomagnetosphere. Pamela is able of detecting protons ( 80 MeV- 700 GeV), antiprotons (80 MeV-190 GeV), electrons (50 MeV - 400 GeV), positrons (50 MeV - 270 Gev) and light nuclei ( 100 MeV/n-200 GeV/n). For its characteristics the device is capable of performing for the first time a very precise measurement of the high energy component in solar events and, in particular, to detect solar positrons and possible antiprotons. Also trapped, semi-trapped and albedo / secondary particles in Earth's magnetosphere will be studied separating the matter component from the antimatter
UR: http:wizard.roma2.infn.it
DE: 2104 Cosmic rays
DE: 2114 Energetic particles (7514)
DE: 2730 Magnetosphere: inner
DE: 2732 Magnetosphere interactions with satellites and rings
DE: 2774 Radiation belts
SC: SPA-Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly