Propagation of Cosmic Rays in the Atmosphere and Energy Deposition in Detectors
Abstract
The cross section equations and data on the composition and energy spectra of cosmic rays have been combined to calculate the effects of nuclear transformations and energy losses of cosmic rays in the atmosphere. Both the vertical and omnidirectional fluxes of the various cosmic ray nuclei for elements Z between 3 and 26 have been calculated for various atmospheric depths down to 60 g/sq cm of air. At a depth of 20 g/sq cm, the omnidirectional CNO flux is attenuated by a factor of 10 and that of Fe nuclei about a factor of 27. The energy deposition (or LET) spectra of the cosmic ray nuclei in silicon are calculated for a set of altitudes and rigidity cutoffs of 0 and 8 GV. Both differential and integral LET-spectra will be presented for times of solar minimum and solar maximum.
- Publication:
-
International Cosmic Ray Conference
- Pub Date:
- August 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983ICRC....5..380T
- Keywords:
-
- Atmospheric Radiation;
- Cosmic Rays;
- Nuclear Transformations;
- Nucleon-Nucleon Interactions;
- Particle Telescopes;
- Earth Atmosphere;
- Energy Dissipation;
- Energy Spectra;
- Heavy Nuclei;
- High Energy Interactions;
- Space Radiation