The experiment AIR—WATCH from SPACE

✍ Scribed by Livio Scarsi

• Book ID: 104355720
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 804 KB
• Volume: 75
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0920-5632
• DOI: 10.1016/s0920-5632(99)00223-6

✦ Synopsis

The observation in the Cosmic F{adiation of particles with energy above 1020 eV and the foreseeable existence of neutrinos of comparable energy open a chapter of fundamental interest in Astro-particle Physics concerning their origin and propagation in the intergalactic space. The extremely low flux involved (order of 1 particle/year 1000 kin-' sr) on one side and the very low interaction cross section of neutrinos on the other, require detectors of exceptional dimensions. An adequate solution can be represented by exploiting the UV fluorescence induced by the ionizing radiation in the Earth atmosphere which offers a target with up to millions of km 2 sr and 10 ~: l.ons. The primary Cosmic [lay particles, neutrinos and gammas can be detected through the luminescence associated to the giant showers ( EAS ) they give rise to by the cascade of interactions produced in the atmosphere. The observation is carried out from Space with detectors on board of a LEO ( Low Earth Orbit ) satelhte. The vxperiment.al framework is outlined and a description is given of the AIR-WATCH from SPACE mission and of ,.he observational strategy.