The search for antihelium in cosmic rays using data from the PAMELA experiment

A. G. Mayorov, O. Adriani, G. C. Barbarino, G. A. Bazilevskaya, R. Bellotti, M. Boezio, E. A. Bogomolov, L. Bonechi, M. Bongi, V. Bonvicini, S. V. Borisov, S. Bottai, A. Bruno, F. Cafagna, D. Campana, R. Carbone, P. Carlson, M. Casolino, G. Castellini, I. A. DanilchenkoM. P. De Pascale, V. Di Felice, A. M. Galper, W. Gillard, L. A. Grishantseva, G. Jerse, A. V. Karelin, S. V. Koldashov, S. A. Koldobsky, S. Yu Krutkov, A. N. Kvashnin, A. A. Leonov, V. V. Malakhov, V. Malvezzi, L. Marcelli, W. Menn, V. V. Mikhailov, E. Mocchiutti, N. Mori, N. V. Nikonov, G. Osteria, P. Papini, M. Pearce, P. Picozza, P. Pizzolotto, M. Ricci, S. B. Ricciarini, M. F. Runtso, M. Simon, N. De Simone, R. Sparvoli, P. Spillantini, Yu I. Stozhkov, A. Vacchi, E. Vannuccini, G. I. Vasiliev, S. A. Voronov, Y. Wu, Yu T. Yurkin, G. Zampa, N. Zampa, V. G. Zverev

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

The generally accepted theory explaining the observed cosmological baryon asymmetry involves mechanisms of baryosynthesis that generate asymmetry in an initially baryon symmetric Universe. Due to the possible inhomogeneous spatial nature of such mechanisms, antimatter domains could arise in the Universe. This hypothesis can be tested by the direct measurement of fluxes of antinuclei in cosmic rays. Searching for antihelium nuclei is therefore among the objectives of the PAMELA experiment. We analyzed data from August 2006 to December 2009 and obtained a preliminary value for the upper limit of the antihelium/helium flux ratio that could lead to some restrictions on the existing theoretical models of the production and propagation of antimatter in the Galaxy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)331-333
Number of pages3
JournalBulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Physics
Volume75
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2011
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors express their gratitude to the Space Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the RF Space Agency ROSKOSMOS, the Samara Space Center TsSKB Progress, the Research Center for Earth Operative Monitoring, the Italian Space Agency, the German Aerospace Center, the Swedish National Space Board, and the Swedish Research Council.

Funding

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors express their gratitude to the Space Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the RF Space Agency ROSKOSMOS, the Samara Space Center TsSKB Progress, the Research Center for Earth Operative Monitoring, the Italian Space Agency, the German Aerospace Center, the Swedish National Space Board, and the Swedish Research Council.

FundersFunder number
RF Space Agency
Space Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Swedish National Space Agency
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt
Agenzia Spaziale Italiana
Vetenskapsrådet

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