Next generation detectors for study from balloon and space of terrestrial and cosmic UV signals

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H02905
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Particle/Nuclear/Cosmic ray/Astro physics
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: casolino marco 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 開拓研究本部, 研究員 (10598163)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 滝澤 慶之 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 戎崎計算宇宙物理研究室, 専任研究員 (70312246)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: cosmic rays / strange quark matter / Space station / UV emission / ELVES

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The origin of ultra high energy cosmic rays is still in mystery. We conducted a balloon-borne experiment, EUSO-SPB1, in 2017 and a space mission, Mini-EUSO, onboard the international space station since 2019 to pave for future missions to observe such high energy cosmic rays on orbit. In the both projects, light-weight Fresnel lens optics and high-speed cameras with high sensitivity were used so that cosmic ray tracks can be detected in ultraviolet. UV background map of the Earth is being acquired at various places. Many transient phenomena such as Elves (transient light at high atmosphere), lightning and meteors have been observed in UV band.

Free Research Field

ultra high energy cosmic ray from space

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Mini-EUSO is currently the only detector in space devoted to the search of UHECR with E>1e20eV and nuclearites. This represents a huge step forward in the development of future large area detectors in space. SPB1 flight was successful, a new flight EUSO-SPB2 is being prepared for flight in 2022