SearcharxivSearch

arXiv · 0810.1137

Ionization Quenching Factor Measurement of Helium 4

Abstract

The ionization quenching factor (IQF) is defined as the fraction of energy released by a recoil in a medium through ionization compared with its total kinetic energy. At low energies, in the range of a few keV, the ionization produced in a medium falls rapidly and systematic measurements are needed. We report measurements carried out at such low energies as a function of the pressure in He4 at 350, 700, 1000 and 1300 mbar. In order to produce a nucleus moving with a controlled energy in the detection volume, we have developed an Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) coupled to an ionization chamber by a differential pumping. The quenching factor of He4 has been measured for the first time down to 1 keV recoil energies. An important deviation with respect to the phenomenological calculations has been found allowing an estimation of the scintillation produced in He4 as a function of pressure. The variation of the IQF as a function of the percentage of isobutane, used as quencher, is also presented.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

D. Santos, F. Mayet, O. Guillaudin, Th. Lamy, S. Ranchon, A. Trichet, P. Colas, I. Giomataris. 2008-10-07. Ionization Quenching Factor Measurement of Helium 4. https://arxiv.org/abs/0810.1137

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Solutions to the "General Grand Unification Problem," and the Questions "How Did Our Universe Come Into Being?" and "Of What is Empty Space Composed?"

Using mathematical techniques to model one of the most simplistic of human linguistic processes, it is rationally predicted that within the nonstandard physical world (NSP-world) there exists a force-like (logical) operator *S and an entity w' such that *S{w'} sequentially generates each of the Natural systems that comprise a Universe. This model shows specifically that within the NSP-world the behavior of each Natural world Natural system is related logically. Further, the model predicts the rational existence of a single type of entity within the NSP-world's substratum that can be used to construct, by means of an exceptionally simple process, all of the fundamental Natural world particles used within particle physics. In section 11.2, it is shown how (Natural law) allowable perturbations in Natural system behavior are also included within this mathematical model. These results solve the pre-geometry problem of Wheeler. In general, the model predicts that when the behavior of these Universe creating processes is viewed globally, it can be described as apparently mirroring the behavior of an infinitely powerful computer or mind.

astro-ph

Dark matter in elliptical galaxies: I. Is the total mass density profile of the NFW form or even steeper?

Elliptical galaxies are modelled as Sersic luminosity distributions with density profiles (DPs) for the total mass adopted from the DPs of haloes within dissipationless LambdaCDM N-body simulations. Ellipticals turn out to be inconsistent with cuspy low-concentration NFW models representing the total mass, nor are they consistent with a steeper -1.5 inner slope, nor with the shallower models proposed by Navarro et al. 04, nor with NFW models 10 times more concentrated than predicted, as deduced from several X-ray observations: the mass models, extrapolated inwards, lead to local mass-to-light ratios that are smaller than the stellar value inside an effective radius (R_e), and to central aperture velocity dispersions that are much smaller than observed. This conclusion remains true as long as there is no sharp steepening (slope < -2) of the dark matter (DM) DPs just inside 0.01 virial radii. The too low total mass and velocity dispersion produced within R_e by an NFW-like total mass profile suggests that the stellar component should dominate the DM one out to at least R_e. It should then be difficult to kinematically constrain the inner slope of the dark matter DP of ellipticals. The high concentration parameters deduced from X-ray observations appear to be a consequence of fitting an NFW model to the total mass DP made up of a stellar component that dominates inside and a DM component that dominates outwards. An appendix gives the virial mass dependence of the concentration parameter, central density, and total mass of the Navarro et al. model. In a 2nd appendix are given single integral expressions for the velocity dispersions averaged along the line-of-sight, in circular apertures and in thin slits, for general luminosity density and mass distributions, with isotropic orbits.

astro-ph

Dark matter in elliptical galaxies: II. Estimating the mass within the virial radius

Elliptical galaxies are modelled with a a 4-component model: Sersic stars, LCDM dark matter (DM), hot gas and central black hole. DM is negligible in the inner regions, which are dominated by stars and the central black hole. This prevents any kinematical estimate (using a Jeans analysis) of the inner slope of the DM density profile. The gas fraction rises, but the baryon fraction decreases with radius, at least out to 10 effective radii (R_e). Even with line-of-sight velocity dispersion (VD) measurements at 4 to 6 R_e with 20 km/s accuracy and perfectly known velocity anisotropy, the total mass within the virial radius (r_v) is uncertain by a factor over 3. The DM distributions found in LCDM simulations are consistent with the stellar VD profiles, but appear inconsistent with the low VDs measured by Romanowsky et al. (2003) of planetary nebulae between 2 and 5 R_e, which imply such low M/Ls that the baryon fraction within r_v must be greater than the universal value. Replacing the NFW DM model by the new model of Navarro et al. (2004) decreases slightly the VD at a given radius. So, given the observed VD measured at 5 R_e, the inferred M/L within r_v is 40% larger than predicted with the NFW model. Folding in the slight (strong) radial anisotropy found in LCDM (merger) simulations, which is well modelled (much better than with the Osipkov-Merritt formula) with beta(r) = 1/2 r/(r+a), the inferred M/L within r_v is another 1.6 (2.4) times higher than for the isotropic NFW model. Thus, the DM model and radial anisotropy can partly explain the low PN VDs, but not in full. In an appendix, single integral expressions are derived for the VDs in terms of the tracer density and total mass profiles, for 3 anisotropic models: radial, Osipkov-Merritt, and the model above, for general radial profiles of luminosity density and mass.

astro-ph