The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is a cosmic ray detector operating aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since May 2011. The identification of cosmic ray deuterium and hydrogen particles is the main goal of this work. Using the data collected by the AMS-02 experiment between May 2011 and May 2014 we provide the measurement of the 2H to the 1H ratio between 0.7 and 7 GeV/n. Cosmic rays are mainly composed of hydrogen nuclei. No significant amount of deuterium nuclei is expected to be released from galactic sources since they are destroyed rather than formed in thermonuclear reactions inside stars. As a consequence of their production history, they are part of a class of secondary stable nuclei that provide information on the propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy. Despite their relevance for propagation studies, very few measurements of deuterium exist above 1 GeV/n, due to the poor isotopic separation capacity of previous experiments. For this reason, the deuterium to hydrogen flux ratio is a very important measurement to be carried out using the data collected by the AMS-02 experiment. The mass and the isotopic composition of cosmic-rays nuclei can be measured by the AMS-02 experiment using measurements of the momentum (provided by the tracker) and velocity of the particles (provided by the Time-of-Flight and the RICH). This analysis is one of the first to be focused on hydrogen isotopic composition with AMS-02 data, and our results are in fair agreement with a similar and independent analysis that has been carried out within the Collaboration. / O Espectômetro Magnético Alpha (AMS-02) é um detetor de raios cósmicos operando na Estação Espacial Internacional (ISS) desde maio de 2011. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é a identificação de deutério e hidrogênio nos raios cósmicos. Usando dados coletados pelo experimento AMS-02 entre maio de 2011 e maio de 2014 foi medida a razão entre os fluxos de 2H e 1H entre 0.7 e 7 GeV/n. Raios cósmicos são compostos, principalmente, por núcleos de hidrogênio. Não é esperado que fontes galácticas de raios cósmicos liberem uma quantidade significativa de núcleos de deutério, já que eles são destruidos, em vez de formados, nas reações termonucleares no interior de estrelas. Assim, eles fazem parte de uma classe de partículas secundárias estáveis que fornecem informações acerca da propagação de raios cósmicos na galáxia. Apesar da relevância para o estudo da propagação de raios cósmicos, poucas medidas da sua quantidade acima de 1 GeV/n existem, devido à baixa capacidade de separação de isótopos de prévios experimentos. Por isso a razão entre os fluxos de deutério e hidrogênio é uma importante medida a ser feita com os dados do AMS-02. A massa, e portanto a composição isotópica dos raios cósmicos, pode ser medida pelo AMS-02 a partir das medições de momento (realizada pelo tracker) e velocidade (realizadas pelo ToF e RICH). Essa análise é uma das primeiras a focar na composição isotópica do hidrogênio com dados do AMS-02, e os resultados estão razoavelmente em acordo com análises independendes semelhantes realizadas na colaboração AMS.

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is a cosmic ray detector operating aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since May 2011. The identification of cosmic ray deuterium and hydrogen particles is the main goal of this work. Using the data collected by the AMS-02 experiment between May 2011 and May 2014 we provide the measurement of the 2H to the 1H ratio between 0.7 and 7 GeV/n. Cosmic rays are mainly composed of hydrogen nuclei. No significant amount of deuterium nuclei is expected to be released from galactic sources since they are destroyed rather than formed in thermonuclear reactions inside stars. As a consequence of their production history, they are part of a class of secondary stable nuclei that provide information on the propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy. Despite their relevance for propagation studies, very few measurements of deuterium exist above 1 GeV/n, due to the poor isotopic separation capacity of previous experiments. For this reason, the deuterium to hydrogen flux ratio is a very important measurement to be carried out using the data collected by the AMS-02 experiment. The mass and the isotopic composition of cosmic-rays nuclei can be measured by the AMS-02 experiment using measurements of the momentum (provided by the tracker) and velocity of the particles (provided by the Time-of-Flight and the RICH). This analysis is one of the first to be focused on hydrogen isotopic composition with AMS-02 data, and our results are in fair agreement with a similar and independent analysis that has been carried out within the Collaboration. / O Espectômetro Magnético Alpha (AMS-02) é um detetor de raios cósmicos operando na Estação Espacial Internacional (ISS) desde maio de 2011. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é a identificação de deutério e hidrogênio nos raios cósmicos. Usando dados coletados pelo experimento AMS-02 entre maio de 2011 e maio de 2014 foi medida a razão entre os fluxos de 2H e 1H entre 0.7 e 7 GeV/n. Raios cósmicos são compostos, principalmente, por núcleos de hidrogênio. Não é esperado que fontes galácticas de raios cósmicos liberem uma quantidade significativa de núcleos de deutério, já que eles são destruidos, em vez de formados, nas reações termonucleares no interior de estrelas. Assim, eles fazem parte de uma classe de partículas secundárias estáveis que fornecem informações acerca da propagação de raios cósmicos na galáxia. Apesar da relevância para o estudo da propagação de raios cósmicos, poucas medidas da sua quantidade acima de 1 GeV/n existem, devido à baixa capacidade de separação de isótopos de prévios experimentos. Por isso a razão entre os fluxos de deutério e hidrogênio é uma importante medida a ser feita com os dados do AMS-02. A massa, e portanto a composição isotópica dos raios cósmicos, pode ser medida pelo AMS-02 a partir das medições de momento (realizada pelo tracker) e velocidade (realizadas pelo ToF e RICH). Essa análise é uma das primeiras a focar na composição isotópica do hidrogênio com dados do AMS-02, e os resultados estão razoavelmente em acordo com análises independendes semelhantes realizadas na colaboração AMS.

This work presents the measurement of the deuterium flux, and the deuterium-to-hydrogen flux ratio from 0.6 to 10 GeV/n, using data collected between May 2011 and May 2015 by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02), a cosmic ray detector operating aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since May 2011. The isotope separation is performed by combining the measurements performed by the AMS-02 sub-detectors. In particular, the mass measurement is carried out by taking advantage of the precise momentum measurement provided by the silicon tracker and by the velocity measurement provided by the Cherenkov detector. The event counting method is performed using reference spectra of simulated signal and background events, where the agreement between data and Monte Carlo has been carefully checked and eventual differences have been mitigate by means of corrections based on the comparison between the resolution of the velocity and momentum as obtained from data and simulated vents. Production mechanisms, acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays are not completely clear, therefore precise measurements of the flux and composition of these particles may help to understand these phenomena. In the conventional model, supernova remnants are the sources of cosmic rays in the GeV to TeV energy range. The so called primaries, such as 1H, 4He, e- and C are believed to be produced and accelerated at the sources, while secondaries, such as e+, 2H, 3He and B originate from the collisions of primary cosmic rays with the interstellar medium. Hence, secondaries carry information about the propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy, and, the measurement of their flux is used to constrain the parameters of cosmic ray propagation models; in particular, studying secondary-to-primary ratios is useful as it factors out the unknown source spectrum of the progenitor. One of such commonly studied ratios is the B/C ratio, but other ratios, such as 2H/1H and 3He/4He, can be used to probe a different A/Z regime and test the universality of the propagation mechanisms. / Este trabalho apresenta a medida do fluxo de deutério e da razão deutério sobre hidrogênio nos raios cósmicos, de 0.6 até 10 GeV/n, utilizando dados coletados entre maio de 2011 e maio de 2015 pelo Espectrômetro Magnético Alfa (AMS-02), um detecto de raios cósmicos instalado na Estação Espacial Internacional desde maio de 2011. A separação dos isótopos é feita através da combinação de medidas feitas pelos subdetectores do AMS-02. Em particular, a medida da massa é feita utilizando as medidas do momento fornecidas pelo tracker de silício e a velocidade medida pelo detector Cherenkov. A contagem de eventos é feita através da utilização de espectros de referência obtidos a partir de simulações de eventos de sinal e fundo, os quais foram utilizados para checar a concordância entre dados e simulações de Monte Carlo, corrigindo eventuais diferenças através de correções baseadas em comparações das resoluções de velocidade e momento obtidas nos dados e em simulações. Mecanismos de produção, aceleração e propagação dos raios cósmicos partículas não são completamente claros, portanto medidas precisas dos fluxos e composição dessas partículas podem auxiliar na compreensão desses fenômenos. Remanescentes de supernovas são as fontes de raios cósmicos com energias entre GeV e TeV. Acredita-se que os chamados raios cósmicos primários, tais como 1H, 4He, e- e C são produzidos e acelerados nas fontes, enquanto os secundários, tais como e+, 2H, 3He e B, têm origem na colisão dos raios cósmicos primários com o meio interestelar. Portanto, os secundários carregam informação sobre a propagação dos raios cósmicos na galáxia, sendo as medidas dos seus fluxos utilizada para restringir os parâmetros de modelos de propagação de raios cósmicos; em particular, estudar a razão entre secundários e primários é útil pois remove o desconhecido espectro da fonte da espécie progenitora. Uma das razões comumente utilizadas é B/C, mas outras, tais como 2H/1H e 3He/4He podem ser utilizadas para estudar outro regime de A/Z e testar a universalidade dos mecanismos de propagação.

The existence of a Fisk-type heliospheric magnetic field (HMF) is one of the most debated questions in cosmic-ray modulation. Recently, Burger and Hitge [2004] developed a divergence-free Fisk-Parker hybrid magnetic field model to demonstrate the behaviour of cosmic rays in the heliosphere due to such a field. This approach has been refined and the properties of the consequent field are investigated. It is found that randomly directed magnetic field diffusion in and above the photosphere significantly influences the solar magnetic field both at the solar poles and near the polar coronal hole boundary. The solar cycle dependence of this field is investigated, a study which is of particular importance for studies of the long-term behaviour of cosmic rays, such as those undertaken at the SANAE base in Antarctica. The amplitudes of the 26-day recurrent cosmic-ray variations are modelled as function of both latitudinal gradient and heliolatitude and are found to agree qualitatively and in some cases quantitatively with the observational results reported by Zhang 119971 and Paizis et al. 119991. Although magnetic field data do not clearly indicate the existence of the Fisk field [see, e.g., Fursyth et al., 20021, this study supports the existence of a Fisk-type HMF. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Physics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Radiocarbon content in tree-rings can be an excellent proxy of the past incoming cosmic ray intensities to the Earth. Although such past cosmic ray variations have been studied by measurements of 14C contents in tree rings with ≧10 year time resolution for the Holocene (1), there are few annual 14C data. There is a little understanding about annual 14C variations in the past with the exception of a few periods including the AD774-775 annual 14C excursion (2). Here, we report the result of 14C measurements using the bristlecone pine tree rings for the period from 5490 BC to 5411 BC with 1-2 year resolution, and a finding of an extraordinarily large 14C increase (20‰) from 5481 BC to 5471 BC (the 5480 BC event). The 14C increase rate of this event is much larger than that of the normal Grand Solar Minima. We propose the possible causes of this event are a special phase of grand solar minimum, or a combination of successive solar proton events and a normal grand solar minimum.

Bibliography: p. 157-167. / ii, 180 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Presents results of searches made with the Buckland Park and SUGAR data sets for Ultra High Energy gamma-ray emission from certain astrophysical objects. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physics and Mathematical Physics, 1994

Thesis (M.Sc. (Physics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Since 1995, more than 150 extrasolar planets were detected, of which a considerable fraction orbit their host star at very close distances. Gas giants with orbital distances below 0.1 AU are called “Hot Jupiters”. Current detection techniques are not sensitive enough for the detection of Earth-like planets, but such planets are expected at similar orbital positions. For all these so-called close-in extrasolar planets, the interaction between the stellar wind and the planetary magnetosphere is expected to be very different from the situation known from the solar system. Important differences arising from the close substellar distances include a low stellar wind velocity, a high stellar wind density and strong tidal interaction between the planet and the star. This interaction is shown to lead, for example, to a synchronisation of the planetary rotation with its orbit (“tidal locking”). Taking these points into account, planetary magnetic moments are estimated and sizes of planetary magnetospheres are derived. Two different effects resulting from the magnetospheric interaction are studied in detail. (a) Characteristics of radio emission from the magnetospheres of “Hot Jupiters” are discussed. It is shown that the frequency range and the sensitivity of current radio detectors are not sufficient to detect exoplanetary radio emission. With planned improvements of the existing instrumentation and with the construction of new radio arrays, the detection of exoplanetary radio emission will be possible in the near future. (b) The flux of galactic cosmic rays to the atmospheres of terrestrial exoplanets in close orbits around M stars is studied. Different types of planets are shown to be weakly protected against cosmic rays, which is likely to have implications for planetary habitability. This should be taken into account when selecting targets for the search for biosignatures in the spectra of terrestrial exoplanets.

The thesis proposes an indirect indicator of the geomagnetic field variations, i.e. the hard cosmic ray flux. Analysing HCRF variations, a prognostic scheme of a leap of cardiovascular diseases was drafted. The application of this method, most probably, will inform people about the geomagnetic impact and will supplement other existing methods employed to reduce a leap of cardiovascular diseases.

This cumulative dissertation explored the use of the detection of natural background of fast neutrons, the so-called cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRS) approach to measure field-scale soil moisture in cropped fields. Primary cosmic rays penetrate the top atmosphere and interact with atmospheric particles. Such interaction results on a cascade of high-energy neutrons, which continue traveling through the atmospheric column. Finally, neutrons penetrate the soil surface and a second cascade is produced with the so-called secondary cosmic-ray neutrons (fast neutrons). Partly, fast neutrons are absorbed by hydrogen (soil moisture). Remaining neutrons scatter back to the atmosphere, where its flux is inversely correlated to the soil moisture content, therefore allowing a non-invasive indirect measurement of soil moisture. The CRS methodology is mainly evaluated based on a field study carried out on a farmland in Potsdam (Brandenburg, Germany) along three crop seasons with corn, sunflower and winter rye; a bare soil period; and two winter periods. Also, field monitoring was carried out in the Schaefertal catchment (Harz, Germany) for long-term testing of CRS against ancillary data. In the first experimental site, the CRS method was calibrated and validated using different approaches of soil moisture measurements. In a period with corn, soil moisture measurement at the local scale was performed at near-surface only, and in subsequent periods (sunflower and winter rye) sensors were placed in three depths (5 cm, 20 cm and 40 cm). The direct transfer of CRS calibration parameters between two vegetation periods led to a large overestimation of soil moisture by the CRS. Part of this soil moisture overestimation was attributed to an underestimation of the CRS observation depth during the corn period ( 5-10 cm), which was later recalculated to values between 20-40 cm in other crop periods (sunflower and winter rye). According to results from these monitoring periods with different crops, vegetation played an important role on the CRS measurements. Water contained also in crop biomass, above and below ground, produces important neutron moderation. This effect was accounted for by a simple model for neutron corrections due to vegetation. It followed crop development and reduced overall CRS soil moisture error for periods of sunflower and winter rye. In Potsdam farmland also inversely-estimated soil hydraulic parameters were determined at the field scale, using CRS soil moisture from the sunflower period. A modelling framework coupling HYDRUS-1D and PEST was applied. Subsequently, field-scale soil hydraulic properties were compared against local scale soil properties (modelling and measurements). Successful results were obtained here, despite large difference in support volume. Simple modelling framework emphasizes future research directions with CRS soil moisture to parameterize field scale models. In Schaefertal catchment, CRS measurements were verified using precipitation and evapotranspiration data. At the monthly resolution, CRS soil water storage was well correlated to these two weather variables. Also clearly, water balance could not be closed due to missing information from other compartments such as groundwater, catchment discharge, etc. In the catchment, the snow influence to natural neutrons was also evaluated. As also observed in Potsdam farmland, CRS signal was strongly influenced by snow fall and snow accumulation. A simple strategy to measure snow was presented for Schaefertal case. Concluding remarks of this dissertation showed that (a) the cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRS) has a strong potential to provide feasible measurement of mean soil moisture at the field scale in cropped fields; (b) CRS soil moisture is strongly influenced by other environmental water pools such as vegetation and snow, therefore these should be considered in analysis; (c) CRS water storage can be used for soil hydrology modelling for determination of soil hydraulic parameters; and (d) CRS approach has strong potential for long term monitoring of soil moisture and for addressing studies of water balance. / In dieser kumulativen Dissertation wird die Detektion des natürlichen Hintergrunds von schnellen Neutronen, das sogenannte “Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensing” (CRS), zur Messung von Bodenfeuchte auf der Feldskala in landwirtschaftlich genutzten Flächen untersucht. Die kosmische Primärstrahlung durchdringt die oberste Atmosphäre, und interagiert mit atmosphärischen Teilchen. Durch diese Wechselwirkungen entstehen Kaskaden hochenergetischer Teilchen die bis in die Erdoberfläche eindringen, wobei schnelle Neutronen entstehen. Teilweise werden diese durch Wasserstoff (Bodenfeuchte) absorbiert, teilweise zurück in die Atmosphäre gestreut. Dieser Neutronenfluss über dem Boden korreliert invers mit der Bodenfeuchte, was so eine non-invasive und indirekte Bodenfeuchteschätzung ermöglicht. Die CRS-Methode wird vor allem in einer Feldstudie auf einem Ackerland in Potsdam (Brandenburg, Deutschland), einschließlich dreier Phasen mit Anbau von Mais, Sonnenblume und Winterroggen getestet und beurteilt. Darüber hinaus wurde ein Feldmonitoring im Schäfertaleinzugsgebiet (Harz, Deutschland) durchgeführt, um das Potential von Langzeit-CRS-Messungen gegenüber herkömmlich erhobenen bodenhydraulischen Daten abzuschätzen. Im ersten Untersuchungsgebiet wurde die CRS-Methode kalibriert und mittels verschiedener Bodenfeuchtemessansätze validiert. In der Maisanbauphase wurden die Bodenfeuchte-Punktmessungen zunächst nur an der nahen Bodenoberfläche durchgeführt. In den folgendenen Anbauphasen (Sonnenblume und Winterroggen) wurden dann die Sensoren in drei unterschiedlichen Tiefen (5 cm, 20 cm und 40 cm) installiert. Die direkte Übertragung der CRS-Kalibrierparameter zwischen zwei Vegetationsperioden führte zu einer starken Überschätzung der CRS-Bodenfeuchte. Ein Teil der überschätzten Bodenfeuchte wurde der Unterschätzung der CRS-Beobachtungstiefe während der Maisperiode (5-10 cm) zugeschrieben, welche später basierend auf Werten zwischen 20-40 cm in anderen Anbauperioden (Sonnenblume und Winterroggen) neuberechnet wurde. Gemäß der Ergebnisse dieser Beobachtungsperioden mit verschiedenen Feldfrüchten, spielte die Vegetation eine wichtige Rolle für die CRS-Messungen, da das Wasser, das in der über- und unterirdischen Biomasse vorhanden ist, die Neutronen bedeutend abdämpft. Dieser Effekt, sowie der Einfluss des Getreidewachstums und des reduzierten Gesamt-CRS-Bodenfeuchte-Fehlers, wurden in ein einfaches Model zur vegetationsbedingten Neutronenkorrektur berücksichtigt. So wurde ein gekoppelter HYDRUS-1D- und PEST-Ansatz angewendet, um bodenhydraulische Parameter auf dem Feldmassstab während der Sonnenblumen-Phase invers abzuschätzen. Dann wurden die inversen Schätzungen der effektiven bodenhydraulischen Eigenschaften innerhalb des von CRS beobachteten Volumens durch die lokalen Bodeneigenschaften (Modellierung und Messungen) validiert. Abgesehen von Unterschieden auf Grund der Beobachtungstiefe und somit des Volumens, wurden hierbei erfolgreiche Ergebnisse erzielt. Dieser einfache Ansatz unterstreicht das zukünftige Forschungspotential, z.B. um mit Hilfe von Bodenfeuchten aus CRS-Messungen Modelle auf der Feldskala zu parametrisieren. Im Schäfertaleinzugsgebiet wurden die Langzeit-CRS-Messungen mit Nie-derschlags- und Evapotranspirations-Raten abgeglichen. Bei einer monatlichen Auflösung korrelierte die Änderung des CRS-Bodenwasserspeichers mit diesen beiden Wettervariablen. Die Wasserbilanz konnte jedoch auf Grund fehlender Informationen bezüglich Grundwasser, Abfluss des Einzugesgebiets, etc. nicht geschlossen werden. Darüber hinaus wurde, wie auch am Potsdamer Standort, festgestellt, dass das CRS-Signal stark von Schneefall und Schneeakkumulationen beeinflusst wird. Eine einfache Anwendung zur Schneemessung mittels CRS wurde für den Schäfertalfall vorgestellt. Abschließend zeigte sich, dass (a) „Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensing“ (CRS) ein großes Potential hat, Messungen der mittleren Bodenfeuchte auf der Feldskala im Bereich landwirtschaftlich genutzter Flächen zu realisieren; (b) die CRS-Bodenfeuchte stark durch andere Wasserspeicher, wie Vegetation und Schnee beeinflusst wird, und dies im Rahmen von Analysen berücksichtigt werden sollte; (c) die CRS-Messungen über eine bodenhydraulische Modellierung zur Bestimmung von bodenhydraulischen Paramtern genutzt werden kann; und (d) der CRS-Ansatz ein großes Potential für Langzeit-Bodenfeuchte-Monitoring und für Wasserbilanzstudien hat.