Friday, April 6, 2001, 16:00
WHGA Auditorium
Prof. M. Pohl, Univ. de Geneve
Abstract:
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a detector designed to measure
charged and neutral cosmic rays in space in the GeV to TeV energy range. A
first version of the detector, AMS-01, was flown on the Space Shuttle
mission STS-91 in 1998 for 10 days. Results concerning the search for
antimatter, the spectrum and composition of charged cosmic rays and
geomagnetic trapping of secondaries were obtained. These results are also
relevant for a better understanding of atmospheric neutrino spectra. Based
on the experience from this flight, a more ambitious detector, AMS-02, is
being built. It will be installed on the International Space Station (ISS)
late in 2003 and take data for three years. The concept of this detector,
its performance and physics program will be discussed.