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Search for microquasar features in cosmic ray spectra with AMS-01

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Title: Search for microquasar features in cosmic ray spectra with AMS-01
Author: Monreal, Benjamin, 1977-
Other Contributors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics.
Advisor: Peter H. Fisher.
Department: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics.
Publisher: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Issue Date: 2004
Abstract: Accreting x-ray binaries are sometimes observed to emit compact, relativistic jets of cool plasma; these objects are called "microquasars". It is possible that these jets are responsible for a large flux of galactic cosmic ray protons and nuclei. The energy spectrum from these sources will be very different from the featureless power-law expected from ordinary cosmic-ray acceleration in supernova shocks. The AMS-01 instrument measured cosmic ray protons and helium during 10 days on the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998; we analyze this data searching for spectral distortions due to nearby microquasar activity. We show that the microquasar contribution to the CR proton flux can be no more than [approximately] 2% in the range 2-50 GeV.
Description: Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-102).
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28651
Keywords: Physics.

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