Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Cherry, M. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Cherry, M. L..

30 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

The homestake surface-underground scintillations: Description

Two new detectors are currently under construction at the Homestake Gold Mine a 140-ton Large Area Scintillation Detector (LASD) with an upper surface area of 130 square meters, a geometry factor (for an isotropic flux) of 1200 square meters, sr, and a depth of 4200 m.w.e.; and a surface air shower array consisting of 100 scintillator elements, each 3 square meters, spanning an area of approximately square kilometers. Underground, half of the LASD is currently running and collecting muon data; on the surface, the first section of the air shower array will begin operation in the spring of 1985. The detectors and their capabilities are described.

Cherry, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Upper limits to pulsed gamma ray emission from PSR 0833-45, 1747-46, and 1818-04

Pulsed gamma ray emission from three pulsars (PSR 0833-45, 1747-46, and 1818-04) have been sought on a balloon flight of the University of New Hampshire Large Gamma Ray Telescope, which incorporates a shielded sodium iodide scintillator array, and was launched from Alice Springs, Australia. Over the energy range 0.1 - 10 MeV, no evidence is found for pulsed gamma rays, and upper limits are set for Vela which are comparable to, or below, the extrapolation to lower energies of the pulsed emission reported by SAS-2 and COS-B.

Cherry, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Observations with the SMM gamma-ray spectrometer - The impulsive solar flares of 1980 March 29

Gamma-ray continuum emission from 0.3 to 1 MeV was observed with the gamma-ray spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite during two impulsive solar flares on 1980 March 29, from active region 2363 at 0918 UT and from active region 2357 at 0955 UT. Evidence is presented for a hardening of the spectrum during the impulsive phase of the flares. The photon intensity greater than 100 keV appears to decay at a slower rate than that at lower energies. Time-integrated photon spectra for both flares are incompatible with a single-temperature thermal-bremsstrahlung model. Upper limits for prompt and delayed gamma-ray lines are presented.

Ryan, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Statistical evaluation of gamma-ray line observations

The statistical reliability of reported positive observations of solar and cosmic gamma-ray lines has been evaluated. The relative probability that each measurement is due to a real source rather than to an accidental fluctuation in the background has been determined, and it is found that the results are statistically compelling in only a small fraction of the reported observations. At present, extreme caution must be exercised in drawing astrophysical conclusions from reports of the detection of cosmic gamma-ray lines.

Cherry, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The gamma ray spectrometer for the Solar Maximum Mission

The paper describes an actively shielded, multicrystal scintillation spectrometer for measurement of the solar gamma ray flux used by the Solar Maximum Mission Gamma Ray Experiment. The instrument provides a 476-channel pulse height spectrum every 16.38 s over the 0.3-9 MeV energy range; the gamma ray spectral analysis can be extended to at least 15 MeV on command. The instrument is designed to measure the intensity, energy, and Doppler shift of narrow gamma ray lines, the intensity of extremely broadened lines, and the photon continuum.

Forrest, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Measurements of the spectrum and energy dependence of X-ray transition radiation

The results of experiments designed to test the theory of X-ray transition radiation and to verify the predicted dependence of the characteristic features of the radiation on the radiator dimensions are presented. The X-ray frequency spectrum produced by 5- to 9-GeV electrons over the range 4 to 30 keV was measured with a calibrated single-crystal Bragg spectrometer, and at frequencies up to 100 keV with an NaI scintillator. The interference pattern in the spectrum and the hardening of the radiation with increasing foil thickness are clearly observed. The energy dependence of the total transition-radiation intensity was studied using a radiator with large dimensions designed to yield energy-dependent signals at very high particle energies, up to E/mc-squared approximately equal to 100,000. The results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Cherry, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Recent progress in the development of transition radiation detectors

Transition-radiation detectors have been used in several recent cosmic-ray experiments for particle identification at energies E/mc-squared of at least about 1000. In order to optimize the design of such detectors and to use them for energy measurements over a broad energy range, it is necessary to study the details of the transition-radiation process. Experimental results are presented which test the theoretical predictions more precisely and at higher energies than in previous experiments. The dependence of the interference pattern in the frequency spectrum on the radiator dimensions is studied, and the total transition-radiation yield generated by electrons in various radiators is measured over a very wide energy range, from 5 to 300 GeV. The significance of the individual experimental parameters in the design of transition radiation detectors is reviewed, and the characteristics of transition-radiation detectors capable of measuring particle energies over the range E/mc-squared from about 300 to 100,000 are discussed.

Cherry, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Measurements of the frequency spectrum of transition radiation

We report a measurement of the frequency spectrum of X-ray transition radiation. X rays were generated by electrons of 5 and 9 GeV in radiators of multiple polypropylene foils, and detected in the range 4 to 30 keV with a calibrated single-crystal Bragg spectrometer. The experimental results closely reproduce the features of the theoretically predicted spectrum. In particular, the pronounced interference pattern of multifoil radiators and the expected hardening of the radiation with increasing foil thickness are clearly observed. The overall intensity of the radiation is somewhat lower than predicted by calculations.

Cherry, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The generation of transition radiation by relativistic particles in plastic foam radiators

The design of large area transition radiation detectors for highly relativistic particles can be greatly simplified if plastic foam radiators are employed. Using electron beams with energies 1-9 GeV at the Cornell synchrotron, we have studied the properties of a large variety of transition radiators consisting of commercially available foam materials. In most cases, a measurable transition radiation signal has been observed, but only a few materials have been found to be suitable for practical purposes. The observed radiation yield is in these cases very similar to that of equivalent multifoil radiators. A detailed discussion is given of the particle detection efficiency that can be obtained with high yield foam radiators.

Prince, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Transition radiation from relativistic electrons in periodic radiators

The generation and detection of transition radiation have been studied in a series of experiments with electrons from 1 to 15 GeV at SLAC and at the Cornell Synchrotron. Periodic radiators, consisting of thin plastic foils stretched in air at constant spacings, were used, and proportional chambers filled with krypton or xenon served as detectors. A detailed discussion of the theoretical predictions is given, and the measurements are systematically compared with the predictions by varying the most critical parameters, such as configuration of radiators and detectors, and energy of the electrons. In general, good agreement between theory and experiment has been found. On the basis of these results, the criteria are summarized under which transition radiation can readily be observed.

Cherry, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The efficient identification of relativistic particles by transition radiation

A system of transition radiation detectors has been constructed and exposed to beams of electrons and pions in the energy range of 3 to 15 GeV at SLAC. Transition radiation was generated in a variety of stacks of mylar foils (radiators), and its intensity was detected with 7 multiwire proportional chambers. The raw data demonstrate a good separation between electron and pion induced signals. A more detailed analysis shows that a very efficient identification of individual particles is possible. Typically, a detection efficiency for electrons above 90%, combined with a pion-electron discrimination ratio of .001, has been achieved. Some conclusions with respect to the design of a practical detector for relativistic particles are drawn.

Cherry, M. L.↗