The atmospheric and leakage flux of neutrons produced in the atmosphere by cosmic ray interactions

Autor: L. Scarsi, M. Panetti, G. Boella, C. Dilworth
Rok vydání: 1968
Předmět:
Zdroj: Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 4:393-398
ISSN: 0012-821X
DOI: 10.1016/0012-821x(68)90069-1
Popis: The curve of the integrated neutron flux in the “thermal” to 20 MeV energy range, as a function of the atmospheric depth from sea level up to 0.1 mbar, has been determined, assuming as energy spectrum that predicted by Newkirk. The instrument employed is a combination of a hydrogeneous moderator with a slow neutron detector, with anticoincidence rejection of background events. Four balloon flights have been carried out in March 1966; one rocket flight in July 1966. With this flight the curve has been extended to 0.1 mbar from 6 mbar, attained with the balloon flights. The neutron flux as a function of the atmospheric depth is given, at 5.3 GV geomagnetic rigidity, in quiet Sun conditions. The albedo neutron flux has been measured: (0.42 ± 0.04) neutrons cm −2 sec −1 . The mean free path for absorption in the atmosphere is: L = (165 ± 5)g cm −2 . The maximum intensity has been found at (90 ± 10) g cm −2 residual pressure.
Databáze: OpenAIRE