The Prtotype Synchrotron Radiation Detector

Abstract.

The upgraded version of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is planned to be installed for a three-year mission on the International Space Station [1]. A new component, the Synchrotron Radiation Detector (SRD), has been proposed that allows the precise determination of the differential energy spectrum of high-energy electrons and positrons above 1 TeV. Due to inverse Compton and synchrotron losses, their lifetime is limited and the distance they can travel from their origin is believed to be below 1 kpc. Current theory states that the acceleration of cosmic rays takes place in supernova shock fronts through stochastic acceleration. Within kpc distance from Earth, only a small number of supernova remnants are identified, so, following [2], precise knowledge of the spectra at the upper end will allow definitive deductions about the responsible source(s) and their characteristics.

On behalf of the PSRD Collaboration (PSRD Collaboration: RWTH Aachen, 111. Physikalisches Institut B, Germany; Lockheed Martin Company, Houston, USA; Johnson Space Center, NASA, Houston, USA; MIT, Laboratory for Nuclear Science, Cambridge, USA; ETH Zürich, Institut für Quantenelektronik, Switzerland; ETH Zürich, Labor für Hochenergiephysik, Switzerland; Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; CSIST, Lung-Tan, Tao Yuan 325, Taiwan; Institute of High-Energy Physics, Kyungpook National University, Taegu, Korea)