[NAPP Seminar] High-flying Experiments to Investigate Mysteries of Cosmic Rays

by Prof. Eun-Suk Seo (University of Maryland)

Tuesday 16 May 2017, 16:00 → 17:00 ROK

521 (B56)

*Speaker : Prof. Eun-Suk Seo (University of Maryland) [home]

*Abstract : One of the most exciting possibilities in cosmic ray research is the potential to discover new phenomena. Elementary particles were discovered in cosmic rays before modern-day accelerators became available to study their detailed properties.  Since the discovery of cosmic ray antiprotons in 1979 using a balloon-borne magnet spectrometer, a series of magnet spectrometers have been flown to search for the signature of dark matter annihilation in antiprotons and positrons. Being the same as particles except for their opposite charge sign, antiparticles are readily distinguished as they bend in opposite directions in the magnetic field. As long-duration balloon flights over Antarctica became available, not only antiproton to proton ratios, but also measurements of antiproton energy spectra became possible. Furthermore, PAMELA on a Russian Satellite and AMS-02 on the International Space Station (ISS) are currently providing precision measurements of various particles and anti-particles, including positions and antiprotons. In particular, excess positrons generated a lot of excitement due to their possible explanation of dark matter. More recently, the JAXA-led CALET ISS mission and the DAMPE Chinese Satellite were launched. NASA’s ISS-CREAM was delivered to KSC to await launch by SpaceX after completing its final verification at GSFC. These missions will provide complementary measurements exploring energies higher than previously possible to constrain cosmic ray propagation models in search of dark matter and the origin of cosmic rays. Recent results, their implications, and the outlook for the field will be presented.