The Super-TIGER Instrument to Probe Galactic Cosmic-Ray Origins

ORAL

Abstract

Super-TIGER is a large area (5.4 m$^2$) balloon-borne instrument designed to measure ultra-heavy cosmic-ray nuclei (Z = 30 and above) with individual-element resolution and high statistical precision. These measurements will provide sensitive tests of the emerging model of cosmic-ray origins in OB associations and models of the mechanism for selection of nuclei for acceleration. Furthermore, Super-TIGER will measure the energy spectra of the more abundant elements in the interval 10 $\le Z \le$ 28 at energies 0.8 $<$ E $<$ 10 GeV/nucleon to test the hypothesis that microquasars or other sources could superpose spectral features. Super-TIGER, which builds on the heritage of the smaller TIGER, is expected to launch from Antarctica in December 2012. The particle charge and energy will be measured with a combination of plastic scintillators, acrylic and silica-aerogel Cherenkov detectors, and a scintillating fiber hodoscope. The design, expected performance and current status of the instrument along with the scientific implications of the Super-TIGER measurements will be presented.

*This research is supported by NASA under grant number NNX09AC17G.

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Authors

  • J.E. Ward

    • Washington University in Saint Louis

  • W.R. Binns

    • Washington University in Saint Louis

  • M.H. Israel

    • Washington University in Saint Louis

  • R.P. Murphy

    • Washington University in Saint Louis

  • B.F. Rauch

    • Washington University in Saint Louis

  • T.J. Brandt

    • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

  • E.R. Christian

    • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

  • G.A. De Nolfo

    • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

  • T. Hams

    • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

  • J.T. Link

    • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

  • J.W. Mitchell

    • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

  • M. Sasaki

    • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

  • K. Sakai

    • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

  • A.W. Labrador

    • California Institute of Technology

  • R.A. Mewaldt

    • California Institute of Technology

  • E.C. Stone

    • California Institute of Technology

  • C.J. Waddington

    • University of Minnesota

  • M.E. Wiedenbeck

    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology