TRACER (cosmic ray detector)
Encyclopedia
Transition Radiation Array for Cosmic Energetic Radiation (TRACER) is a balloon flown cosmic ray
detector built and designed at the University of Chicago
. The detector is designed to measure the energy spectra of cosmic ray nuclei
with atomic numbers between five and twenty-six (boron
to iron
).
Cosmic ray
Cosmic rays are energetic charged subatomic particles, originating from outer space. They may produce secondary particles that penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and surface. The term ray is historical as cosmic rays were thought to be electromagnetic radiation...
detector built and designed at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. The detector is designed to measure the energy spectra of cosmic ray nuclei
Atomic nucleus
The nucleus is the very dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom. It was discovered in 1911, as a result of Ernest Rutherford's interpretation of the famous 1909 Rutherford experiment performed by Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden, under the direction of Rutherford. The...
with atomic numbers between five and twenty-six (boron
Boron
Boron is the chemical element with atomic number 5 and the chemical symbol B. Boron is a metalloid. Because boron is not produced by stellar nucleosynthesis, it is a low-abundance element in both the solar system and the Earth's crust. However, boron is concentrated on Earth by the...
to iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
).
External links
- Tracer homepage on the University of Chicago website;
- A detailed account of the TRACER flight in Antarctica in 2003 Stratocat website ;