High-energy Antimatter Telescope (HEAT): basic design and performance

Stephane Coutu, S. W. Barwick, A. Bhattacharyya, James J. Beatty, C. R. Bower, C. Chaput, G. De Nolfo, Don Ellithorpe, D. Ficenec, J. Knapp, D. M. Lowder, S. M. McKee, Dietrich Mueller, J. A. Musser, S. L. Nutter

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The high-energy antimatter telescope (HEAT) instrument has been flown successfully by high-altitude balloon in 1994 and 1995, in a configuration optimized for the detection and identification of cosmic-ray electrons and positrons at energies from about 1 GeV up to 50 GeV and beyond. It consists of a two-coil superconducting magnet and a precision drift-tube tracking hodoscope, complemented with a time-of-flight system, a transition radiation detector and an electromagnetic shower counter. We review the design criteria for optimal e ± detection and identification, and assess the instruments' performance and background rejection during its first two flights. We also review the adaptation of HEAT for measurements of high-energy cosmic-ray antiprotons and for isotopic composition studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
EditorsBrian D. Ramsey, Thomas A. Parnell
Pages113-120
Number of pages8
StatePublished - 1996
EventGamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray Detectors, Techniques, and Missions - Denver, CO, USA
Duration: Aug 5 1996Aug 7 1996

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume2806

Other

OtherGamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray Detectors, Techniques, and Missions
CityDenver, CO, USA
Period8/5/968/7/96

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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