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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

ContributorsAMS Collaboration
Published inPhysical Review Letters, vol. 117, no. 23, 231102
Publication date2016
Abstract

Knowledge of the rigidity dependence of the boron to carbon flux ratio (B/C) is important in understanding the propagation of cosmic rays. The precise measurement of the B/C ratio from 1.9 GV to 2.6 TV, based on 2.3 million boron and 8.3 million carbon nuclei collected by AMS during the first 5 years of operation, is presented. The detailed variation with rigidity of the B/C spectral index is reported for the first time. The B/C ratio does not show any significant structures in contrast to many cosmic ray models that require such structures at high rigidities. Remarkably, above 65 GV, the B/C ratio is well described by a single power law RΔ with index Δ=−0.333±0.014(fit)±0.005(syst), in good agreement with the Kolmogorov theory of turbulence which predicts Δ=−1/3 asymptotically.

Keywords
  • Cosmic rays
  • Boron to carbon ratio
  • Boron
  • Carbon
  • Cosmic-ray propagation
  • Space missions
  • AMS
Citation (ISO format)
AMS Collaboration. 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. In: Physical Review Letters, 2016, vol. 117, n° 23, p. 231102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.231102
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ISSN of the journal0031-9007
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