Measurement of the galactic cosmic ray antiproton flux from 0.25 gev to 3.11 gev with the isotope matter antimatter experiment (imax)

The intensities and relative abundances of galactic cosmic ray protons and antiprotons have been measured with the Isotope Matter Antimatter Experiment (IMAX), a balloon-borne magnet spectrometer. The IMAX payload had a successful flight from Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada on July 16, 1992. Particles detected by IMAX were identified by mass and charge via the Cherenkov-Rigidity and TOP-Rigidity techniques, with measured rms mass resolution ≤0.2 amu for Z=1 particles.

Cosmic ray antiprotons are of interest because they can be produced by the interactions of high energy protons and heavier nuclei with the interstellar medium as well as by more exotic sources. Previous cosmic ray antiproton experiments have reported an excess of antiprotons over that expected solely from cosmic ray interactions.

Analysis of the flight data has yielded 124405 protons and 3 antiprotons in the energy range 0.19-0.97 GeV at the instrument, 140617 protons and 8 antiprotons in the energy range 0.97-2.58 GeV, and 22524 protons and 5 antiprotons in the energy range 2.58-3.08 GeV. These measurements are a statistical improvement over previous antiproton measurements, and they demonstrate improved separation of antiprotons from the more abundant fluxes of protons, electrons, and other cosmic ray species.

When these results are corrected for instrumental and atmospheric background and losses, the ratios at the top of the atmosphere are p/p=3.21(+3.49, -1.97)x10^(-5) in the energy range 0.25-1.00 GeV, p/p=5.38(+3.48, -2.45) x10^(-5) in the energy range 1.00-2.61 GeV, and p/p=2.05(+1.79, -1.15) x10^(-4) in the energy range 2.61-3.11 GeV. The corresponding antiproton intensities, also corrected to the top of the atmosphere, are 2.3(+2.5, -1.4) x10^(-2) (m^2 s sr GeV)^(-1), 2.1(+1.4, -1.0) x10^(-2) (m^2 s sr GeV)^(-1), and 4.3(+3.7, -2.4) x10^(-2) (m^2 s sr GeV)^(-1) for the same energy ranges.

The IMAX antiproton fluxes and antiproton/proton ratios are compared with recent Standard Leaky Box Model (SLBM) calculations of the cosmic ray antiproton abundance. According to this model, cosmic ray antiprotons are secondary cosmic rays arising solely from the interaction of high energy cosmic rays with the interstellar medium. The effects of solar modulation of protons and antiprotons are also calculated, showing that the antiproton/proton ratio can vary by as much as an order of magnitude over the solar cycle. When solar modulation is taken into account, the IMAX antiproton measurements are found to be consistent with the most recent calculations of the SLBM. No evidence is found in the IMAX data for excess antiprotons arising from the decay of galactic dark matter, which had been suggested as an interpretation of earlier measurements. Furthermore, the consistency of the current results with the SLBM calculations suggests that the mean antiproton lifetime is at least as large as the cosmic ray storage time in the galaxy (~10^7 yr, based on measurements of cosmic ray ^(10)Be). Recent measurements by two other experiments are consistent with this interpretation of the IMAX antiproton results.

The streaming of 1.3-2.3 MeV cosmic-ray protons during periods between prompt solar particle events

The anisotropy of 1.3 - 2.3 MeV protons in interplanetary space has been measured using the Caltech Electron/Isotope Spectrometer aboard IMP-7 for 317 6-hour periods from 72/273 to 74/2. Periods dominated by prompt solar particle events are not included. The convective and diffusive anisotropies are determined from the observed anisotropy using concurrent solar wind speed measurements and observed energy spectra. The diffusive flow of particles is found to be typically toward the sun, indicating a positive radial gradient in the particle density. This anisotropy is inconsistent with previously proposed sources of low-energy proton increases seen at 1 AU which involve continual solar acceleration.

The typical properties of this new component of low-energy cosmic rays have been determine d for this period which is near solar minimum. The particles have a median intensity of 0.06 protons/ cm^(2)-sec-sr-MeV and a mean spectral index of -3.15.The amplitude of the diffusive anisotropy is approximately proportional to the solar wind speed. The rate at which particles are diffusing toward the sun is larger than the rate at which the solar wind is convecting the particles away from the sun. The 20 to 1 proton to alpha ratio typical of this new component has been reported by Mewaldt, et al. (1975b).

A propagation model with κ_(rr) assumed independent of radius and energy is used to show that the anisotropy could be due to increases similar to those found by McDonald, et al. (1975) at ~3 AU. The interplanetary Fermi-acceleration model proposed by Fisk (1976) to explain the increases seen near 3 AU is not consistent with the ~12 per cent diffusive anisotropy found.

The dependence of the diffusive anisotropy on various parameters is shown. A strong dependence of the direction of the diffusive anisotropy on the concurrently measured magnetic field direction is found, indicating a κ_⊥ less than κ_∥ to be typical for this large data set.

An investigation of techniques for the measurement and interpretation of cosmic ray isotopic abundances

An instrument, the Caltech High Energy Isotope Spectrometer Telescope (HEIST), has been developed to measure isotopic abundances of cosmic ray nuclei in the charge range 3 ≤ Z ≤ 28 and the energy range between 30 and 800 MeV/nuc by employing an energy loss -- residual energy technique. Measurements of particle trajectories and energy losses are made using a multiwire proportional counter hodoscope and a stack of CsI(TI) crystal scintillators, respectively. A detailed analysis has been made of the mass resolution capabilities of this instrument.

Landau fluctuations set a fundamental limit on the attainable mass resolution, which for this instrument ranges between ~.07 AMU for z~3 and ~.2 AMU for z~2b. Contributions to the mass resolution due to uncertainties in measuring the path-length and energy losses of the detected particles are shown to degrade the overall mass resolution to between ~.1 AMU (z~3) and ~.3 AMU (z~2b).

A formalism, based on the leaky box model of cosmic ray propagation, is developed for obtaining isotopic abundance ratios at the cosmic ray sources from abundances measured in local interstellar space for elements having three or more stable isotopes, one of which is believed to be absent at the cosmic ray sources. This purely secondary isotope is used as a tracer of secondary production during propagation. This technique is illustrated for the isotopes of the elements O, Ne, S, Ar and Ca.

The uncertainties in the derived source ratios due to errors in fragmentation and total inelastic cross sections, in observed spectral shapes, and in measured abundances are evaluated. It is shown that the dominant sources of uncertainty are uncorrelated errors in the fragmentation cross sections and statistical uncertainties in measuring local interstellar abundances.

These results are applied to estimate the extent to which uncertainties must be reduced in order to distinguish between cosmic ray production in a solar-like environment and in various environments with greater neutron enrichments.

A balloon measurement of the isotopic composition of galactic cosmic ray boron, carbon, and nitrogen

The isotopic compositions of galactic cosmic ray boron, carbon, and nitrogen have been measured at energies near 300 MeV amu^-1, using a balloon-borne instrument at an atmospheric depth of ~5 g cm^-2. The calibrations of the detectors comprising the instrument are described. The saturation properties of the cesium iodide scintilla tors used for measurement of particle energy are studied in the context of analyzing the data for mass. The achieved rms mass resolution varies from ~ 0.3 amu at boron to ~ 0.5 amu at nitrogen, consistent with a theoretical analysis of the contributing factors. Corrected for detector interactions and the effects of the residual atmosphere, the results are ^(10)B/B = 0.33^(+0.17)_(-0.11), ^(13)C/C = 0.06^(+0.13)_(-0.01), and ^(15)N/N = 0.42 (+0.19)_(-0.17). A model of galactic propagation and solar modulation is described. Assuming a cosmic ray source composition of solar-like isotopic abundances, the model predicts abundances near earth consistent with the measurements.

A Cerenkov-ΔΕ-Cerenkov detector for high energy cosmic ray isotopes and an accelerator study of ^(40)Ar & ^(56)Fe fragmentation

This thesis has two major parts. The first part of the thesis will describe a high energy cosmic ray detector -- the High Energy Isotope Spectrometer Telescope (HEIST). HEIST is a large area (0.25 m²sr) balloon-borne isotope spectrometer designed to make high-resolution measurements of isotopes in the element range from neon to nickel (10 ≤ Z ≤ 28) at energies of about 2 GeV/nucleon. The instrument consists of a stack of 12 NaI(Tl) scintilla tors, two Cerenkov counters, and two plastic scintillators. Each of the 2-cm thick NaI disks is viewed by six 1.5-inch photomultipliers whose combined outputs measure the energy deposition in that layer. In addition, the six outputs from each disk are compared to determine the position at which incident nuclei traverse each layer to an accuracy of ~2 mm. The Cerenkov counters, which measure particle velocity, are each viewed by twelve 5-inch photomultipliers using light integration boxes.

HEIST-2 determines the mass of individual nuclei by measuring both the change in the Lorentz factor (Δγ) that results from traversing the NaI stack, and the energy loss (ΔΕ) in the stack. Since the total energy of an isotope is given by Ε = γM, the mass M can be determined by M = ΔΕ/Δγ. The instrument is designed to achieve a typical mass resolution of 0.2 amu.

The second part of this thesis presents an experimental measurement of the isotopic composition of the fragments from the breakup of high energy ⁴⁰Ar and ⁵⁶Fe nuclei. Cosmic ray composition studies rely heavily on semi-empirical estimates of the cross-sections for the nuclear fragmentation reactions which alter the composition during propagation through the interstellar medium. Experimentally measured yields of isotopes from the fragmentation of ⁴⁰Ar and ⁵⁶Fe are compared with calculated yields based on semi-empirical cross-section formulae. There are two sets of measurements. The first set of measurements, made at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Bevalac using a beam of 287 MeV/nucleon ⁴⁰Ar incident on a CH₂ target, achieves excellent mass resolution (σ_m ≤ 0.2 amu) for isotopes of Mg through K using a Si(Li) detector telescope. The second set of measurements, also made at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Bevalac, using a beam of 583 MeV/nucleon ⁵⁶FeFe incident on a CH₂ target, resolved Cr, Mn, and Fe fragments with a typical mass resolution of ~ 0.25 amu, through the use of the Heavy Isotope Spectrometer Telescope (HIST) which was later carried into space on ISEE-3 in 1978. The general agreement between calculation and experiment is good, but some significant differences are reported here.

A quantitative investigation of the solar modulation of cosmic-ray protons and helium nuclei

The differential energy spectra of cosmic-ray protons and He nuclei have been measured at energies up to 315 MeV/nucleon using balloon- and satellite-borne instruments. These spectra are presented for solar quiet times for the years 1966 through 1970. The data analysis is verified by extensive accelerator calibrations of the detector systems and by calculations and measurements of the production of secondary protons in the atmosphere.

The spectra of protons and He nuclei in this energy range are dominated by the solar modulation of the local interstellar spectra. The transport equation governing this process includes as parameters the solar-wind velocity, V, and a diffusion coefficient, K(r,R), which is assumed to be a scalar function of heliocentric radius, r, and magnetic rigidity, R. The interstellar spectra, j_D, enter as boundary conditions on the solutions to the transport equation. Solutions to the transport equation have been calculated for a broad range of assumed values for K(r,R) and j_D and have been compared with the measured spectra.

It is found that the solutions may be characterized in terms of a dimensionless parameter, ψ(r,R) = ^∞∫_r V dr'/(K(r',R). The amount of modulation is roughly proportional to ψ. At high energies or far from the Sun, where the modulation is weak, the solution is determined primarily by the value of ψ (and the interstellar spectrum) and is not sensitive to the radial dependence of the diffusion coefficient. At low energies and for small r, where the effects of adiabatic deceleration are found to be large, the spectra are largely determined by the radial dependence of the diffusion coefficient and are not very sensitive to the magnitude of ψ or to the interstellar spectra. This lack of sensitivity to j_D implies that the shape of the spectra at Earth cannot be used to determine the interstellar intensities at low energies.

Values of ψ determined from electron data were used to calculate the spectra of protons and He nuclei near Earth. Interstellar spectra of the form j_D α (W - 0.25m)^-2.65 for both protons and He nuclei were found to yield the best fits to the measured spectra for these values of ψ, where W is the total energy and m is the rest energy. A simple model for the diffusion coefficient was used in which the radial and rigidity dependence are separable and K is independent of radius inside a modulation region which has a boundary at a distance D. Good agreement was found between the measured and calculated spectra for the years 1965 through 1968, using typical boundary distances of 2.7 and 6.1 A.U. The proton spectra observed in 1969 and 1970 were flatter than in previous years. This flattening could be explained in part by an increase in D, but also seemed to require that a noticeable fraction of the observed protons at energies as high at 50 to 100 MeV be attributed to quiet-time solar emission. The turnup in the spectra at low energies observed in all years was also attributed to solar emission. The diffusion coefficient used to fit the 1965 spectra is in reasonable agreement with that determined from the power spectra of the interplanetary magnetic field (Jokipii and Coleman, 1968). We find a factor of roughly 3 increase in ψ from 1965 to 1970, corresponding to the roughly order of magnitude decrease in the proton intensity at 250 MeV. The change in ψ might be attributed to a decrease in the diffusion coefficient, or, if the diffusion coefficient is essentially unchanged over that period (Mathews et al., 1971), might be attributed to an increase in the boundary distance, D.

Primary cosmic-ray positrons and negatrons in 1968 at energies between 11 and 204 MeV

The cosmic-ray positron and negatron spectra between 11 and 204 MeV have been measured in a series of 3 high-altitude balloon flights launched from Fort Churchill, Manitoba, on July 16, July 21, and July 29, 1968. The detector system consisted of a magnetic spectrometer utilizing a 1000-gauss permanent magnet, scintillation counters, and a lucite Čerenkov counter.

Launches were timed so that the ascent through the 100 g/cm² level of residual atmosphere occurred after the evening geomagnetic cutoff transition. Data gathered during ascent are used to correct for the contribution of atmospheric secondary electrons to the flux measured at float altitude. All flights floated near 2.4 g/cm².

A pronounced morning intensity increase was observed in each flight. We present daytime positron and negatron data which support the interpretation of the diurnal flux variation as a change in the local geomagnetic cutoff. A large diurnal variation was observed in the count rate of positrons and negatrons with magnetic rigidities less than 11 MV and is evidence that the nighttime cutoff was well below this value.

Using nighttime data we derive extraterrestrial positron and negatron spectra. The positron-to-total-electron ratio which we measure indicates that the interstellar secondary, or collision, source contributes ≾50 percent of the electron flux within this energy interval. By comparing our measured positron spectrum with the positron spectrum calculated for the collision source we derive the absolute solar modulation for positrons in 1968. Assuming negligible energy loss during modulation, we derive the total interstellar electron spectrum as well as the spectrum of directly accelerated, or primary, electrons. We examine the effect of adiabatic deceleration and find that many of the conclusions regarding the interstellar electron spectrum are not significantly altered for an assumed energy loss of up to 50 percent of the original energy.

New measurements on the absolute cosmic ray ionization from sea level to 1540 kilometers altitude

An air filled ionization chamber has been constructed with a volume of 552 liters and a wall consisting of 12.7 mg/cm² of plastic wrapped over a rigid, lightweight aluminum frame. A calibration in absolute units, independent of previous Caltech ion chamber calibrations, was applied to a sealed Neher electrometer for use in this chamber. The new chamber was flown along with an older, argon filled, balloon type chamber in a C-135 aircraft from 1,000 to 40,000 feet altitude, and other measurements of sea level cosmic ray ionization were made, resulting in the value of 2.60 ± .03 ion pairs/cm³ sec atm) at sea level. The calibrations of the two instruments were found to agree within 1 percent, and the airplane data were consistent with previous balloon measurements in the upper atmosphere. Ionization due to radon gas in the atmosphere was investigated. Absolute ionization data in the lower atmosphere have been compared with results of other observers, and discrepancies have been discussed.

Data from a polar orbiting ion chamber on the OGO-II, IV spacecraft have been analyzed. The problem of radioactivity produced on the spacecraft during passes through high fluxes of trapped protons has been investigated, and some corrections determined. Quiet time ionization averages over the polar regions have been plotted as function of altitude, and an analytical fit is made to the data that gives a value of 10.4 ± 2.3 percent for the fractional part of the ionization at the top of the atmosphere due to splash albedo particles, although this result is shown to depend on an assumed angular distribution for the albedo particles. Comparisons with other albedo measurements are made. The data are shown to be consistent with balloon and interplanetary ionization measurements. The position of the cosmic ray knee is found to exhibit an altitude dependence, a North-South effect, and a small local time variation.

Experiments in Neutrino Mass and Mixing: Part I - New Limits on Heavy Neutrino Emission in Nuclear Beta Decay. Part II - Fast Neutron Backgrounds for the San Onofre Neutrino Detector

In Part I of this thesis, a new magnetic spectrometer experiment which measured the β spectrum of ^(35)S is described. New limits on heavy neutrino emission in nuclear β decay were set, for a heavy neutrino mass range between 12 and 22 keV. In particular, this measurement rejects the hypothesis that a 17 keV neutrino is emitted, with sin^2 θ = 0.0085, at the 6δ statistical level. In addition, an auxiliary experiment was performed, in which an artificial kink was induced in the β spectrum by means of an absorber foil which masked a fraction of the source area. In this measurement, the sensitivity of the magnetic spectrometer to the spectral features of heavy neutrino emission was demonstrated.

In Part II, a measurement of the neutron spallation yield and multiplicity by the Cosmic-ray Underground Background Experiment is described. The production of fast neutrons by muons was investigated at an underground depth of 20 meters water equivalent, with a 200 liter detector filled with 0.09% Gd-loaded liquid scintillator. We measured a neutron production yield of (3.4 ± 0.7) x 10^(-5) neutrons per muon-g/cm^2, in agreement with other experiments. A single-to-double neutron multiplicity ratio of 4:1 was observed. In addition, stopped π^+ decays to µ^+ and then e^+ were observed as was the associated production of pions and neutrons, by the muon spallation interaction. It was seen that practically all of the π^+ produced by muons were also accompanied by at least one neutron. These measurements serve as the basis for neutron background estimates for the San Onofre neutrino detector.

The relative abundances of Sn, Te, Xe, Ba, and Ce in the cosmic radiation

Elements with even atomic number (Z) in the interval 50 ≤ Z ≤ 58 have been resolved in the cosmic radiation using the Heavy Nuclei Experiment on the HEAO-3 satellite. Their relative abundances have been compared with the results expected from pure r-process material, pure s-process material, and solar system material, both with and without a modification due to possible first ionization potential effects. Such effects may be the result of the preferential acceleration, and hence enhancement in the cosmic rays, or those elements having low first ionization potentials. We find that our measurements are inconsistent with pure r-process material at the greater than 98% confidence level whether or not the first ionization potential adjustments are made.

In addition, we have compared our results with mixtures having varying ratios of pure r-process material to pure s-process material. We find that, if no first ionization potential effects are included,

(r/s)CRS/(r/s)SS = 0.20^+0.18_-0.14

where CRS refers to the cosmic ray source and SS refers to the solar system, consistent with having an almost pure s-process source. If the first ionization potential adjustments are applied

(r/s)CRS/(r/s)SS = 1.5^+1.1_-0.7

consistent with a solar system mixture.

The abundances of ultraheavy elements in the cosmic radiation

Analysis of the data from the Heavy Nuclei Experiment on the HEAO-3 spacecraft has yielded the cosmic ray abundances of odd-even element pairs with atomic number, Z, in the range 33 ≤ Z ≤60, and the abundances of broad element groups in the range 62 ≤ Z ≤83, relative to iron. These data show that the cosmic ray source composition in this charge range is quite similar to that of the solar system provided an allowance is made for a source fractionation based on first ionization potential. The observations are inconsistent with a source composition which is dominated by either r-process or s-process material, whether or not an allowance is made for first ionization potential. Although the observations do not exclude a source containing the same mixture of r- and s-process material as in the solar system. the data are best fit by a source having an r- to s-process ratio of 1.22^(+0.25)_(0.21), relative to the solar system The abundances of secondary elements are consistent with the leaky box model of galactic propagation, implying a pathlength distribution similar to that which explains the abundances of nuclei with Z<29.

The energy spectra of the even elements in the range 38 ≤ Z ≤ 60 are found to have a deficiency of particles in the range ~1.5 to 3 GeV/amu, compared to iron. This deficiency may result from ionization energy loss in the interstellar medium, and is not predicted by propagation models which ignore such losses. ln addition, the energy spectra of secondary elements are found to be different to those of the primary elements. Such effects are consistent with observations of lighter nuclei, and are in qualitative agreement with galactic propagation models using a rigidity dependent escape length. The energy spectra of secondaries arising from the platinum group are found to be much steeper than those of lower Z. This effect may result from energy dependent fragmentation cross sections.

Solar photospheric and coronal abundances from solar energetic particle measurements

Observations of solar energetic particles (SEPs) from 22 solar flares in the 1977-1982 time period are reported. The observations were made by the Cosmic Ray Subsystem on board the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft. SEP abundances have been obtained for all elements with 3 ≤ Z ≤ 30 except Li, Be, B. F, Sc, V, Co and Cu. for which upper limits have been obtained. Statistically meaningful abundances of several rare elements (e.g., P, Cl, K, Ti, Mn) have been determined for the first time, and the average abundances of the more abundant elements have been determined with improved precision, typically a factor of three better than the best previous determinations.

Previously reported results concerning the dependence of the fractionation of SEPs relative to photosphere on first ionization potential (FIP) have been confirmed and amplified upon with the new data. The monotonic Z-dependence of the variation between flares noted by earlier studies was found to be interpretable as a fractionation, produced by acceleration of the particles from the corona and their propagation through interplanetary space, which is ordered by the ionic charge-to-mass ratio Q/ M of the species making up the SEPs. It was found that Q/M is the primary organizing parameter of acceleration and propagation effects in SEPs, as evidenced by the dependence on Q/M of time, spatial and energy dependence within flares and of the abundance variability from flare to flare.

An unfractionated coronal composition was derived by applying a simple Q/M fractionation correction to the observed average SEP composition, to simultaneously correct for all Q/M-correlated acceleration/propagation fractionation of SEPs. The resulting coronal composition agrees well with current XUV/X-ray spectroscopic measurements of coronal composition but is of much higher precision and is available for a much larger set of elements. Compared to spectroscopic photospheric abundances, the SEP-derived corona appears depleted in C and somewhat enriched in Cr (and possibly Ca and Ti).

An unfractionated photospheric composition was derived by applying a simple FIP fractionation correction to the derived coronal composition, to correct for the FIP-associated fractionation of the corona during its formation from photospheric material. The resulting composition agrees well with the photospheric abundance tabulation of Grevesse (1984) except for an at least 50% lower abundance of C and a significantly greater abundance of Cr and possibly Ti. The results support the Grevesse photospheric Fe abundance, about 50% higher than meteoritic and earlier solar values. The SEP-derived photospheric composition is not generally of higher precision than the available spectroscopic data, but it relies on fewer physical parameters and is available for some elements (C, N, Ne, Ar) which cannot be measured spectroscopically in the photosphere.

The reduced-alpha-width of the lowest 1¯ state of ^(16)O

Cross sections for the reaction ¹²C(α,γ)¹⁶O have been measured for a range of center-of-mass alpha particle energies extending from 1.72 MeV to 2.94 MeV. Two 8"x5" NaI (Tℓ) crystals were used to detect gamma rays; time-of-flight technique was employed to suppress cosmic ray background and background due to neutrons arising mainly from the ¹³C(α,n)¹⁶O reaction. Angular distributions were measured at center-of-mass alpha energies of 2.18, 2.42, 2.56 and 2.83 MeV. Upper limits were placed on the amount of radiation cascading through the 6.92 or 7.12-MeV states in ¹⁶O. By means of theoretical fits to the measured electric dipole component of the total cross section, in which interference between the 1¯ states in ¹⁶O at 7.12 MeV and at 9.60 MeV is taken into account, it is possible to extract the dimensionless, reduced-alpha-width of the 7.12-MeV state in ¹⁶O. A three-level R-matrix parameterization of the data yields the width Θ_α,F² = 0.14^+0.10_-0.08. A "hybrid" R-matrix-optical-model parameterization yields Θ_α,F² = 0.11^+0.11_-0.07. This quantity is of crucial importance in determining the abundances of ¹²C and ¹⁶O at the end of helium burning in stars.

Studies of noble gases in meteorites and in the earth

The isotopic and elemental abundances of noble gases in the solar system are investigated, using simple mixing models and mass-spectrometric measurements of the noble gases in meteorites and terrestrial rocks and minerals.

Primordial neon is modeled by two isotopically distinct components from the interstellar gas and dust. Neon from the gas dominates solar neon, which contains about ten times more ²⁰Ne than ²²Ne. Neon from the dust is represented in meteorites by neon-E, with ²⁰Ne/²²Ne less than 0.6. Isotopic variations in meteorites require neon from both dust and gas to be present. Mixing dust and gas without neon loss generates linear correlation lines on three-isotope and composition-concentration diagrams. A model for solar wind implantation predicts small deviations from linear mixing, due to preferential sputtering of the lighter neon isotopes.

Neon in meteorites consists of galactic cosmic ray spallation neon and at least two primordial components, neon-E and neon-S. Neon was measured in several meteorites to investigate these end- members. Cosmogenic neon produced from sodium is found to be strongly enriched in ²²Ne. Neon measurements on sodium-rich samples must be interpreted with care so not to confuse this source of ²²Ne with neon-E, which is also rich in ²²Ne.

Neon data for the carbonaceous chondrite Mokoia show that the end member composition of neon-Si in meteorites is ²⁰Ne/²²Ne = 13.7, the same as the present solar wind. The solar wind composition evidently has remained constant since before the compaction of Mokoia.

Ca, Al-rich inclusions from the Allende meteorite were examined for correlation between neon-E and oxygen or magnesium isotopic anomalies. ²²Ne and ³⁶Ar enrichments found in some inclusions are attributed to cosmic- ray-induced reactions on Na and Cl, not to a primordial component. Neon-E is not detectably enriched in Allende.

Measurements were made to determine the noble gas contents of various terrestrial rocks and minerals, and to investigate the cycling of noble gases between different terrestrial reservoirs. Beryl crystals contain a characteristic suite of magmatic gases including nucleogenic ²¹Ne and ²²Ne from (α,n) reactions, radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar, and fissiogenic ^131-136Xe from the decay of K and U in the continental crust. Significant concentrations of atmospheric noble gases are also present in beryl.

Both juvenile and atmospheric noble gases are found in rocks from the Skaergaard intrusion. The ratio ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar (corrected for in situ decay of ⁴⁰K) correlates with δ¹⁸O in plagioclase. Atmospheric argon has been introduced into samples that have experienced oxygen-isotope exchange with circulating meteoric hydrothermal fluids. Unexchanged samples contain juvenile argon with ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar greater than 6000 that was trapped from the Skaergaard magma.

Juvenile and atmospheric gases have been measured in the glassy rims of mid-ocean ridge (MOR) pillow basalts. Evidence is presented that three samples contain excess radiogenic ¹²⁹Xe and fission xenon, in addition to the excess radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar found in all samples. These juvenile gases are being outgassed from the upper-mantle source region of the MOR magma. No isotopic evidence has been found here for juvenile primordial noble gases accompanying the juvenile radiogenic gases in the MOR glasses. Large argon isotopic variations in a single specimen provide a clear indication of the late-stage addition of atmospheric argon, probably from seawater.

The Skaergaard data demonstrate that atmospheric noble gases dissolved in ground water can be transferred into crustal rocks. Subduction of oceanic crust altered by seawater can transport atmospheric noble gases into the upper mantle. A substantial portion of the noble gases in mantle derived rocks may represent subducted gases, not a primordial component as is often assumed.

Solar flare particle propagation--comparison of a new analytic solution with spacecraft measurements

A new analytic solution has been obtained to the complete Fokker-Planck equation for solar flare particle propagation including the effects of convection, energy-change, corotation, and diffusion with ĸ_r = constant and ĸ_Ɵ ∝ r². It is assumed that the particles are injected impulsively at a single point in space, and that a boundary exists beyond which the particles are free to escape. Several solar flare particle events have been observed with the Caltech Solar and Galactic Cosmic Ray Experiment aboard OGO-6. Detailed comparisons of the predictions of the new solution with these observations of 1-70 MeV protons show that the model adequately describes both the rise and decay times, indicating that ĸ_r = constant is a better description of conditions inside 1 AU than is ĸ_r ∝ r. With an outer boundary at 2.7 AU, a solar wind velocity of 400 km/sec, and a radial diffusion coefficient ĸ_r ≈ 2-8 x 10²⁰ cm²/sec, the model gives reasonable fits to the time-profile of 1-10 MeV protons from "classical" flare-associated events. It is not necessary to invoke a scatter-free region near the sun in order to reproduce the fast rise times observed for directly-connected events. The new solution also yields a time-evolution for the vector anisotropy which agrees well with previously reported observations.

In addition, the new solution predicts that, during the decay phase, a typical convex spectral feature initially at energy T_o will move to lower energies at an exponential rate given by T_KINK = T_oexp(-t/Ƭ_KINK). Assuming adiabatic deceleration and a boundary at 2.7 AU, the solution yields Ƭ_KINK ≈ 100h, which is faster than the measured ~200h time constant and slower than the adiabatic rate of ~78h at 1 AU. Two possible explanations are that the boundary is at ~5 AU or that some other energy-change process is operative.