Elemental energy spectra of cosmic rays from the data of the ATIC-2 experiment

A. D. Panov, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Jr H. Adams, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
H. S. Ahn, University of Maryland, College Park
K. E. Batkov, Lomonosov Moscow State University
G. L. Bashindzhagyan, Lomonosov Moscow State University
John W. Watts, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
J. P. Wefel, Louisiana State University
J. Wu, University of Maryland, College Park
O. Ganel, University of Maryland, College Park
T. G. Guzik, Louisiana State University
R. M. Gunashingha, Southern University and A&M College
V. I. Zatsepin, Lomonosov Moscow State University
J. Isbert, Louisiana State University
K. C. Kim, University of Maryland, College Park
M. Christl, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
E. N. Kouznetsov, Lomonosov Moscow State University
M. I. Panasyuk, Lomonosov Moscow State University
E. S. Seo, University of Maryland, College Park
N. V. Sokolskaya, Lomonosov Moscow State University
J. Chang, Purple Mountain Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
W. K.H. Schmidt, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
A. R. Fazely, Southern University and A&M College

Abstract

This paper reports on the results of measurements performed in the course of the ATIC-2 balloon experiment (2002-2003) for the energy spectra of particles (such as protons; He, C, O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe nuclei; and some groups of nuclei) and the all-particle energy spectrum in primary cosmic rays at energies ranging from 50 GeV to 200 TeV. The conclusion is drawn that the energy spectra of protons and helium nuclei differ substantially (the spectrum of protons is steeper) and that the shape of the energy spectra of protons and heavy nuclei cannot be described by a power function. © Allerton Press, Inc. 2007.