NSSDCA ID: 1973-027A-01
Mission Name: SkylabThe purpose of this experiment was to record the cosmic-ray flux indicent outside the earth's atmosphere in the charge range Z from 16 through 28, and energy range from about 5 to 17 GeV. In particular, the experiment was designed to record the relative abundance of high-energy primary heavy nuclei. The experiment utilized two adjacent stacks of nuclear emulsion strips. This emulsion differed from regular photographic emulsions, being considerably thicker and containing a much higher density of grain material to improve the detection of tracks left by charged particles. The stacks were hinged together as the two sides of an open book and contained several layers of different emulsion. The emulsions were mounted inside the Skylab multiple docking adapter separated from space by a thin section of the spacecraft wall. During exposure, the 'book' was opened, allowing high-energy particles that had passed through the wall to enter the front surface of both emulsion stacks. The exposed emulsion was returned to earth and peeled apart in thin strips, which were numbered, developed, and scanned for tracks. By measuring the variations in thickness and direction of tracks and tracking their entire path through the strips, and energy and charge of the comsic rays could be determined.
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Name | Role | Original Affiliation | |
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Dr. Rein Silberberg | Principal Investigator | US Naval Research Laboratory |