The Akeno Giant Air Shower Array (AGASA)
was an array of
particle detector
In experimental and applied particle physics, nuclear physics, and nuclear engineering, a particle detector, also known as a radiation detector, is a device used to detect, track, and/or identify ionizing elementary particle, particles, such as t ...
s designed to study the origin of
ultra-high-energy cosmic ray
In astroparticle physics, an ultra-high-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) is a cosmic ray with an energy greater than 1 EeV (1018 electronvolts, approximately 0.16 joules), far beyond both the rest mass and energies typical of other cosmic ray part ...
s. It was deployed from 1987 to 1991 and decommissioned in 2004.
It consisted of 111 scintillation detectors and 27 muon detectors spread over an area of 100 km
2.
It was operated by the
Institute for Cosmic Ray Research
The Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR) of the University of Tokyo (東京大学宇宙線研究所 ''Tōkyōdaigaku Uchūsen Kenkyūsho'') was established in 1976 for the study of cosmic rays.
The gravitational wave studies group is currently ...
, University of Tokyo at the
Akeno Observatory.
Results
The results from AGASA were used to calculate the energy spectrum and
anisotropy
Anisotropy () is the structural property of non-uniformity in different directions, as opposed to isotropy. An anisotropic object or pattern has properties that differ according to direction of measurement. For example, many materials exhibit ve ...
of cosmic rays. The results helped to confirm the existence of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (
>), such as the so-called "
Oh-My-God" particle that was observed by the
Fly's Eye experiment run by the
University of Utah
The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...
.
The
Telescope Array
An astronomical interferometer or telescope array is a set of separate telescopes, mirror segments, or radio telescope antenna (radio), antennas that work together as a single telescope to provide higher resolution images of astronomical objects ...
, a merger of the AGASA and High Resolution
Fly's Eye (HiRes) groups, and the
Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory is an international cosmic ray observatory in Argentina designed to detect ultra-high-energy cosmic rays: sub-atomic particles traveling nearly at the speed of light and each with energies beyond . In Earth's atmosphe ...
have improved on the results from AGASA by building larger, hybrid detectors and collecting greater quantities of more precise data.
See also
*
Cosmic Ray System
Cosmic Ray Subsystem (CRS, or Cosmic Ray System) is an instrument aboard the ''Voyager 1'' and ''Voyager 2'' spacecraft of the NASA Voyager program, and it is an experiment to detect cosmic rays. The CRS includes a High-Energy Telescope System ( ...
(CR instrument on the Voyagers)
*
CREDO
In Christian liturgy, the credo (; Latin for "I believe") is the portion of the Mass where a creed is recited or sung. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed or the Apostles' Creed are the primary creeds used for this purpose.
History
After the ...
*
Extragalactic cosmic ray
*
Gamma-ray astronomy
Gamma-ray astronomy is a subfield of astronomy where scientists observe and study celestial objects and phenomena in outer space which emit cosmic electromagnetic radiation in the form of gamma rays,Astronomical literature generally hyphena ...
and
X-ray astronomy
X-ray astronomy is an observational branch of astronomy which deals with the study of X-ray observation and detection from astronomical objects. X-radiation is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, so instruments to detect X-rays must be taken to ...
*
Gamma-ray telescopes
A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol ), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from high energy interactions like the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei or astronomical events like solar flares. It consists o ...
(Alphabetic list)
References
External links
AGASA
High energy particle telescopes
Cosmic-ray experiments
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