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Organization

Directors and Committees

Principal Investigator: P. Picozza
Deputy Principal Investigator: T. Ebisuzaki
Global Coordinator: A. Santangelo
Analysis Coordinator: M. Bertaina
Executive Committee: M. Bertaina, M. Casolino, T. Ebisuzaki, M. Fukushima, F. Kajino, G. Medina-Tanco, A.V. Olinto, M.I. Panasyuk, E. Parizot, P. Picozza, M.D. Rodríguez Frías, A. Santangelo
Publication and Conference Committee (PCC): D. Allard, A. Haungs, M. Ricci, N. Sakaki, L. Wiencke

EUSO-TA: P.I.: M. Casolino
EUSO-Balloon: P.I.: P. von Ballmoos
EUSO-SPB: P.I.: A.V. Olinto
EUSO-SPB: P.M.: L. Wiencke
Mini-EUSO: P.I.: M. Casolino
K-EUSO: P.I.: M.I. Panasyuk

Countries

Algeria
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Italy
Japan
Republic of Korea
Mexico
Poland
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
USA

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The origin and nature of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) remain unsolved in contemporary astroparticle physics. A cutoff in the cosmic ray energy spectrum clearly appears at ∼ 10²⁰ eV in the data of HIRES, Telescope Array and Auger on ground experiments. It is well known that the detection of events with energy ≥ 10²⁰eV is challenged by the GZK effect, which limits the highest detectable energy at ∼ 10²⁰eV due to photopion production in the interaction of UHECR on the microwave fossil radiation of the Big Bang, as suggested also by the HIRES and Telescope Array data, or by nuclei photodisintegration as indicated by the Auger results. However, the possibility that the cutoff at ∼ 10²⁰eV can be intrinsic to the acceleration power of the astrophysics cosmic ray sources remains alive. Moreover, indications of sources or excesses in the arrival direction distribution of UHECRs have been claimed by Telescope Array, in the Northern Hemisphere, and by Auger, in the Southern Hemisphere. To give an answer to these questions is rather challenging because of the extremely low flux of a few per km² per century at extreme energies such as E > 5 × 10¹⁹eV.

The objective of the JEM-EUSO program, Joint Experiment Missions for Extreme Universe Space Observatory, is the realization of a space mission devoted to scientific research of cosmic rays of highest energies. Its super-wide-field telescope will look down from space onto the night sky to detect UV photons emitted from air showers generated by UHECRs in the atmosphere.

More than 250 researchers from 16 countries are collaborating in JEM-EUSO, with the support of the most important International and National Space Agencies and research funding institutions.

Overview

EUSO-TA

EUSO-Balloon

EUSO-SPB

EUSO-SPB2

Mini-EUSO

TUS

K-EUSO

Overview

Introduction

Since their discovery in 1912, Cosmic Rays (CR) have been crucial to the study of new physics. Begining with the pioneering studies of Prof. Nishina, leading – among other things – to the discovery of the muon, several new particles and unexpected phenomena such as neutrino oscillations have been discovered in CRs. Currently, Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR), unidentified particles with energy above 5×10¹⁹ eV constitute one of the greatest puzzles in physics, due to their unknown nature, origin and energy more than three orders of magnitude higher than achievable at the LHC accelerator. Research in UHECR has the potential for breakthrough results both in fundamental physics (e.g. dark matter search), astrophysics (black holes, shock acceleration, strange quark matter) and cosmology (top-down production scenarios, topological defects).

Researching UHECR from space can answer these questions using the volume of the Earth’s atmosphere as a detector potentially several orders of magnitude larger than what is achievable on ground. Since these observations would be directed at the Earth, this field has strong interdisciplinary connections with Earth, atmospheric and life sciences. Furthermore the technology developed has a several practical applications such as the development of detectors to mitigate the effects of the Fukushima accident.

Historically, RIKEN has always been at the forefront of the study of CRs both charged and in the gamma/X ray band. In this context, the EUSO team has been established in 2010 to coordinate and lead the JEM-EUSO international collaboration (16 countries, 300 researchers), and develop its unique in-house capabilities of lens and detector construction in order to construct the first space-borne UHECR detector.

Since 2010 we have built a ground Telescope (EUSO-TA), performed two stratospheric balloon flights (EUSO-Balloon and EUSO-SPB1) and are close to launching our first spaceborne detector (Mini-EUSO, on the International Space Station. This will be followed by a second super-pressure balloon flight in 2022 and the full K-EUSO mission in FY 2023.

From JEM-EUSO to K-EUSO

JEM-EUSO is a two-ton refractor telescope using Fresnel lenses to focus the UV light from cosmic ray showers in the atmosphere onto a 300k channel focal surface, with a 2.5 microsecond sampling rate [ref.1, ref.2]. The instrument intends to address basic problems of fundamental physics and high energy astrophysics by investigating the nature and origin of the Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs). This is an evolved and upgraded design of the EUSO telescope, which underwent phase A study in ESA (European Space Agency) and was put on hold after the Columbia Shuttle accident. The proposed installation on the Japanese External Module (JEM) and the introduction of novel technologies resulted in an effective area more than one order of magnitude larger than that of ground detectors. The feasibility and accommodation of the JEM-EUSO mission was studied jointly by JAXA and RIKEN in 2009 within the framework of the first call for the utilization of KIBO. At the time, JEM-EUSO was recognized as a promising mission candidate for the third phase of utilization of the JEM module.

Therefore, in October 2010 the EUSO team was created at RIKEN with the objective to promote the experiment. On an international level RIKEN has functioned as a hub expanding the collaboration to more institutes and countries. On a national level the Japanese group has grown to include Konan University, Saitama University, IPMU, and the ICRR of Tokyo University.

In addition, at RIKEN we have developed and refined several novel technologies essential for the instrument. Amongst them are, a) Super-lightweight, large (>2.5 m) plastic Fresnel lenses (in collaboration with Ohmori materials fabrication lab), b) high performance multi-anode photo multipliers (in conjunction with Hamamatsu Photonics), and c) space-qualified lasers (together with Wada advanced Photonics Technology group) to probe the atmosphere crossed by the cosmic ray showers.

In the meanwhile, the science value and feasibility of the mission was independently evaluated by the various national and international agencies, such as NASA, which has included JEM-EUSO in the Roadmap for astrophysics from space and ESA, where it was positively reviewed by the European Science Foundation (ESF), the Astronomy Working Group (AWG), and the Physical Science Working Group (PSWG). Furthermore, the Science council of Japan has included JEM-EUSO in the master plan for future science projects.

Unfortunately, JAXA stated in the end of 2013 that it was no longer willing or capable to be the leading agency for this mission, citing size and cost of the instrument as constraining factors to the decision. The international collaboration thus decided to follow a Russia proposal to join the KLYPVE experiment and use the Fresnel lenses and Multi-anode photomultiplier detectors to expand tenfold the observational capabilities: from a pathfinder to a larger observatory, with an exposure equivalent to four Auger detectors: K-EUSO.

In parallel, a number of precursor projects on ground, balloon, and in space have been developed both as standalone detectors and to improve the performance of the K-EUSO telescope: 2013 EUSO-TA, 2014 EUSO-Balloon, 2017 EUSO-SPB, 2019 Mini-EUSO.

Missions and Research Methods

Roadmap for the EUSO program to investigate Ultra-High Energy cosmic rays from space

Primary Objective

Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays

The origin and nature of UHECR, particles with energy above 5.7×10¹⁹ eV is still unknown and constitutes one of the great unsolved mysteries in physics. UHECR are thought to be coming from extragalactic distances (~ 100 Mpc). At this energy they are less bent by the galactic and intergalactic magnetic fields, thus raising hopes for opening “charged particle astronomy” via direct identification through angular association with known astrophysical sources.

The study of UHECR probes the highest energies phenomena in the universe and as such allows us to address several still unresolved cosmology and fundamental physics topics. UHECRs have been proposed as candidates of heavy dark matter, could provide an answer to the matter/antimatter asymmetry in the Universe, test Lorentz invariance and the presence of topological effects in Big Bang cosmology through top-down production phenomena. On an astrophysical scale they provide information on acceleration and propagation in Active Galactic Nuclei and in intergalactic space. Data from ground-based observatories, Telescope Array in the Northern hemisphere and Auger in the Southern hemisphere have confirmed the presence of a cutoff (GZK) at energies greater than E ~ 5.7×10¹⁹ eV, due to the interactions of UHECR particles with Cosmic Microwave Background photons. This limits to 100 Mpc the astronomical horizon beyond which UHE cosmic ray sources cannot contribute significantly to the flux measured on Earth. Telescope Array has shown the presence of intermediate scale anisotropy with an excess of particles above E ≥ 5.7×10¹⁹eV . Auger has reported an anisotropy and possible correlation between events with E ≥ 5.7×10¹⁹eV and the distribution of nearby galaxies, although the correlation is weaker in recent analysis. In the Northern Galactic hemisphere, the uncertainties and difficulties in pinpointing one or more astronomical sources are due to the low cosmic ray flux (above E ~ 5.7×10¹⁹ eV it is on the order of 1 particle/km2/sr/century).Overcoming this challenge will requires a joint approach incorporating both the existing ground based telescopes and the development of a new generation of space-borne detectors, the latter being complementary to those on ground, since they offer complete and uniform coverage of the celestial sphere and have the potential for exposures larger by several orders of magnitude [ref.3].

Secondary Goals

Search for Strange Quark Matter

Strange Quark Matter (SQM) is believed to be a bound and stable form of quark matter consisting of up, down and strange quarks [ref.4]. They are also referred to as “Nuclearites” or “Strangelets”, and are one Dark Matter (DM) candidate. Nuclearites can be detected as they reenter the atmosphere and can be distinguished from meteors by their longer burn (due to the higher mass/area ratio) and higher velocity (about 100 km/s since they come from interstellar space, whereas meteors come from the solar system). The EUSO detectors, including EUSO-SPB and Mini-EUSO can detect them as slow and bright (compared to UHECR) events as they interact in the atmosphere. EUSO-SPB will produce the first results of searches for SQM, to be expanded by Mini-EUSO and K-EUSO on board the International Space Station.

The detection of SQM would provide proof of the existence of a new, fundamental state of matter and change the current theories of nuclear matter and of the astrophysics of small compact objects such as neutron stars and hypothesized quark stars.

In case of no detection, with one year of data we would place an upper limit three orders of magnitude more stringent than current ones.

Earth UV night maps

With MINI-EUSO and K-EUSO we will also realize and make public the first UV (300 – 400 nm) night map of the Earth, of relevance not only for the UHECR community but also for biological and environmental sciences. The UV band has never previously been studied at night in high resolution due to the fact that this measurement requires a high photon detection efficiency and a high quality optical system. Current data, from the Russian Tatiana and TUS satellites [ref.5], has a spatial resolution of less than 100 km. In case of EUSO-SPB the spatial resolution would be 220m and the sampling speed would be 2.5 microseconds. This will also allow for a comparative study between the UV background from various surface conditions (mountainous, desert, snow, lakes, cities) would allow to quantify more accurately the respective contribution of anthropic and biologic sources in the 300 – 400 nm frequency band.

Search for bioluminescence phenomena

Using this UV data It will also be possible to study the large-scale presence and evolution of the phenomenon of bioluminescence produced by algae, plankton, and other such organisms in order to gain information on oceanic pollution. Several effects, such as the so-called ‘white sea’ phenomenon have been observed in the visible range. Similar studies will be carried out by studying land vegetation in the UV band.

References

Adams, J. H., et al. The JEM-EUSO instrument. Experimental Astronomy, 40:19-44, November 2015. doi: 10.1007/s10686-014-9418-x.
Adams, J. H., et al. The JEM-EUSO mission: An introduction. Experimental Astronomy, 40:3-17, November 2015. doi: 10.1007/s10686-015-9482-x.
Adriani, O., et al. Pamela’s Measurements of Magnetospheric Eects On High Energy Solar Particles. ApJ, 801:L3, March 2015. doi: 10.1088/2041-8205/801/1/L3.
Adriani, O., et al. New Upper Limit on Strange Quark Matter Abundance in Cosmic Rays with the PAMELA Space Experiment. Physical Review Letters, 115(11):111101, September 2015. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.111101.
Adams, J. H., et al. Space experiment TUS on board the Lomonosov satellite as pathnder of JEM-EUSO. Experimental Astronomy, 40:315{326, November 2015. doi:10.1007/s10686-015-9465-y.

Pamphlets

Access

Computational Astrophysics Laboratory, RIKEN

Address:
2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
Information Science Building 4F

Tel: +81-(0)48-462-1111 (ex: 3886)

Fax: +81-(0)48-467-4078

Access Map

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Campus Map

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Meetings

The 29th JEM-EUSO international collaboration meeting

June 7 - 11, 2021 @Colorado School of Mines

The 28th JEM-EUSO international collaboration meeting

November 30 - December 4, 2020 @Italy

The 27th JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

June 15 - 19, 2020 @SINP, MSU, Moscow, Russia

The 26th JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

December 2 - 6, 2019 @RIKEN, Wako, Japan

The 25th JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

June 10 - 14, 2019 @Lodz, Poland

The 24th JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

December 3 - 7, 2018 @Kobe, Hyogo, Japan

The 23rd JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

June 11 - 15, 2018 @Mürren, Switzerland

The 22nd JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

December 4 - 8, 2017 @RIKEN, Wako, Japan

The 35th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2017)

July 12 - 20, 2017 @Busan, South Korea

The 21st JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

June 19 - 24, 2017 @University of Chicago, Chicago, USA

The 20th JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

December 12 - 16, 2016 @RIKEN, Wako, Japan

The 19th JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

June 20 - 24, 2016 @APC, Paris, France

The 18th JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

December 7 - 11, 2015 @Stockholm, Sweden

The 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015)

July 30 - August 6, 2015 @Hague, The Netherlands

The 17th JEM-EUSO International Collaboration Meeting

June 22 - 26, 2015 @RIKEN, Wako, Japan

News

Mini-EUSO

A paper, “Mini-EUSO Mission to Study Earth UV Emissions on board the ISS”, has been published.

K-EUSO

Conceptual design stage has ended in 2019.

EUSO-Balloon

Launched in August 2014. Data analysis in progress.

EUSO-SPB1

Launched in April 2017. Data analysis in progress.

EUSO-SPB2

Launch is planned in 2022. Design and fabrication in progress.

EUSO-TA

Upgrade of the DAQ electronics is planned in 2019/2020. Data analysis in progress.

Missions

EUSO-TA

EUSO-TA is a ground based detector located in front of the Telescope Array (TA) Fluorescence detector in Black Rock Mesa, Utah, USA [ref.1]. It was installed in 2013 in its own building and has been upgraded in the following years. The installation is used to test the EUSO technology and study its response to cosmic rays and artificial sources in conjunction with the TA Fluorescence Detector (TAFD). The EUSO-TA detector consists of two 1 m² Fresnel lenses with a field of view of 11^O × 11^O. Light is focused onto a 2304 pixel, single photon counting Photo Detector Module (PDM), identical to the ones employed on the focal surface of K-EUSO mission. The performance of the detector has been and continues to be very good, with little (one photoelectron) electronic noise and a Point Spread Function (PSF) meeting the design expectations. In 2015 the measurement of first cosmic rays, meteors, and laser light was performed in conjunction with the University of Tokyo Institute of Cosmic Ray Research. In September 2016 we tested and calibrated the payload of the EUSO-SPB balloon experiment with a self-trigger. Data acquisition with EUSO-TA is expected to continue into 2017 and 2018 with an automatic acquisition to increase the event statistics.

EUSO-SPB and EUSO-TA during data takin in 2016, in front of Telescope Array Fluorescence detector, Utah.

Left: an average of ∼ 250 shots of the CLF laser. The laser light moves in the field of view and lasts about 5 frames. Right: An UHECR event of ∼ 10¹⁸ eV energy at ∼ 2.5 km distance. It was detected by EUSO-TA as a track on a single 2.5 microsecond frame. The color scale denotes photon counts in the detector.

Reference

Adams, J. H., et al. Ground-based tests of JEM-EUSO components at the Telescope Array site, “EUSO-TA”. Experimental Astronomy, 40:301-314, November 2015. doi: 10.1007/s10686-015-9441-6.

Publications

Mini-EUSO Mission to Study Earth UV Emissions on board the ISS
S. Bacholle, P. Barrillon, M. Battisti, A. Belov, M. Bertaina, F. Bisconti, C. Blaksley, S. Blin-Bondil, F. Cafagna, G. Cambiè, F. Capel, M. Casolino, M. Crisconio, I. Churilo, G. Cotto, C. de la Taille, A. Djakonow, T. Ebisuzaki, F. Fenu, A. Franceschi, C. Fuglesang, P. Gorodetzky, A. Haungs, F. Kajino, H. Kasuga, B. Khrenov, P. Klimov, S. Kochepasov, V. Kuznetsov, L. Marcelli, W. Marszał, M. Mignone, G. Mascetti, H. Miyamoto, A. Murashov, T. Napolitano, A. V. Olinto, H. Ohmori, G. Osteria, M. Panasyuk, M. Porfilio, A. Poroshin, E. Parizot, P. Picozza, L. W. Piotrowski, Z. Plebaniak, G. Prévôt, M. Przybylak, E. Reali, M. Ricci, N. Sakaki, K. Shinozaki, J. Szabelski, Y. Takizawa, S. Turriziani, M. Traïche, G. Valentini, S. Wada, L. Wiencke, I. Yashin, and A. Zuccaro-Marchi
The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Volume 253, Number 2, (2021) 36.
Contributions to the 36th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2019) of the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
The JEM-EUSO collaboration
Proceedings of Science (ICRC2019) Arxiv:1912.08666
Mini-EUSO data acquisition and control software
Francesca Capel, Alexander Belov, Giorgio Cambiè, Marco Casolino, Claudio Fornaro, Pavel Klimov, Laura Marcelli, Lech W. Piotrowski, Sara Turriziani
J. of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 5(4), 044009 (2019)
Performance of the EUSO-Balloon optics
A.Díaz Damian, C. Catalano, P.Von Ballmoos, N. Sakaki, Y. Takizawa, C. Smith, G. Durando, B. Bouvet
Experimental Astronomy, 48, 245-263 (2019)
Ultra-violet imaging of the night-time earth by EUSO-Balloon towards space-based ultra-high energy cosmic ray observations
The JEM-EUSO collaboration
Astroparticle Physics 111,54 (2019)
Secondary cameras onboard the Mini-EUSO experiment: Control software and calibration
S.Turriziani J.Ekelund K.Tsuno M.Casolino T.Ebisuzaki
Advances in Space Research, 64, 5, 1188, (2019)
Methods to Retrieve the Cloud-Top Height in theFrame of the JEM-EUSO Mission
Anna Anzalone, Mario Edoardo Bertaina, Susana Briz, Claudio Cassardo, Roberto Cremonini, Antonio J. de Castro, Silvia Ferrarese, Francesco Isgrò, Fernando López and Ilaria Tabone
IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 57, 1, 304 (2019)
First observations of speed of light tracks by a fluorescence detector looking down on the atmosphere
The JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Journal of Instrumentation, 13, P05023 (2018)
EUSO-TA – First results from a ground-based EUSO telescope
The JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Astroparticle Physics, 102, 98 (2018)
First observations of speed of light tracks by a fluorescence detector looking down on the atmosphere
The JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Journal of instrumentation, vol. 13, P05023 (2018)
Mini-EUSO: A high resolution detector for the study of terrestrialand cosmic UV emission from the International Space Station
F. Capel, A. Belov, M. Casolino, P. Klimov for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Advances in Space Research 62, 10, 2954 (2018)
Observation of ultra high energy cosmic rays from space: Status and perspectives
M. Casolino, P. Klimov, L. Piotrowski
Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, 12, 12A107 (2017)
Cosmic ray oriented performance studies for the JEM-EUSO first level trigger
The JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A, 866, 150-163 (2017)
Meteor studies in the framework of the JEM-EUSO program
The JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Planetary and Space Science, 143, 245-255 (2017)
The EUSO program: Imaging of ultra‐high energy cosmic rays by high‐speed UV‐video from space
C. Fuglesang for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A, 873, 1-4 (2017)
Search for extreme energy cosmic ray candidates in the TUS orbital experiment data
S.V. Biktemerova, A.A. Botvinko et al.
arXiv:1706.05369 [astro-ph.IM], (2017)
Contributions to the International Cosmic Ray Conference(2017) PoS(ICRC2017)
Special Issue on the JEM-EUSO Mission
An Evaluation of the Exposure in Nadir Observation of the JEM-EUSO Mission
The JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Astroparticle Physics 44, 76-90 (2013)
Calibration of photo sensors for the space-based cosmic ray telescope JEM-EUSO
Michael Karus for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
AIP Conf. Proc. 1645, 353-357 (2015)
The Atmospheric Monitoring System of the JEM-EUSO space mission
M.D. Rodriguez Frias, S. Toscano, E. Bozzo, L. del Peral, A. Neronov and S. Wada for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 89, 02007 (2015)
EUSO@TurLab: An experimental replica of ISS orbits
M. Bertaina, A. Bowaire, S. Cambursano, R. Caruso, G. Contino, G. Cotto, F. Crivello, R. Forza, N. Guardone, M. Manfrin, M. Mignone, R. Mulas, G. Suino, P.S. Tibaldi for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 89, 03003 (2015)
Retrieval of optically thin cloud emissivity from brightness temperatures provided by IR Camera of JEM-EUSO Mission
S. Briz, A. J. de Castro, I. Fernandez-Gomez, I. Rodrıguez and F. Lopez for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 89, 03011 (2015)
Cloud phase identification based on brightness temperatures provided by the bi-spectral IR Camera of JEM-EUSO Mission
A. J. de Castro, S. Briz, I. Fernandez-Gomez, I. Rodrıguez and F. Lopez for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 89, 03002 (2015)
Retrieving cloud top height in the JEM-EUSO cosmic-ray observation system
S. Briz, A. Anzalone, F. Isgro, R. Cremonini, I. Tabone, M. Bertaina, I. Rodrıguez, I. Fernandez-Gomez and A. J. de Castro for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 89, 03004 (2015)
Thin and thick cloud top height retrieval algorithm with the Infrared Camera and LIDAR of the JEM-EUSO Space Mission
G. Saez-Cano, J.A. Morales de los Rios, L. del Peral, A. Neronov, S. Wada and M.D. Rodriguez Frias for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 89, 03001 (2015)
Radiation Hardness Assurance for the JEM-EUSO Space Mission
H. Prieto-Alfonso, L. Del Peral, M. Casolino, K. Tsuno, T. Ebisuzaki, M.D. Rodríguez Frías
Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 133, 137-145 (2015)
The JEM-EUSO mission
T. Ebisuzaki, Gustavo Medina-Tanco, Andrea Santangelo, for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Advances in Space Research, vol 53, Issue 10, 1490-1505 (2014)
Performance and air-shower reconstruction techniques for the JEM-EUSO mission
M. Bertaina, S. Biktemerova, K. Bittermann, P. Bobik, D. Campana, F. Fenu, A. Gorgi, F. Guarino, A. Guzmán, K. Higashide, G. Medina-Tanco, T. Mernik, D. Naumov, M. Putis, M.D. Rodríguez Frías, G. Sáez Cano, A. Santangelo, K. Shinozaki, S. Toscano for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Advances in Space Research, vol 53, Issue 10, 1515-1535 (2014)
A balloon-borne prototype for demonstrating the concept of JEM-EUSO
P. von Ballmoos, A. Santangelo, J.H. Adams, P. Barrillon, J. Bayer, M. Bertaina, F. Cafagna, M. Casolino, S. Dagoret, P. Danto, G. Distratis, M. Dupieux, A. Ebersoldt, T. Ebisuzaki, J. Evrard, P. Gorodetzky, A. Haungs, A. Jung, Y. Kawasaki, G. Medina-Tanco, B. Mot, G. Osteria, E. Parizot, I.H. Park, P. Picozza, G. Prévôt, H. Prieto, M. Ricci, M.D. Rodríguez Frías, G. Roudil, V. Scotti, J. Szabelski, Y. Takizawa, K. Tusno for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Advances in Space Research, vol 53, Issue 10, 1544-1550 (2014)
Calibration for extensive air showers observed during the JEM-EUSO mission
J.H. Adams Jr., M.J. Christl, S.E. Csorna, F. Sarazin, L.R. Wiencke for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Advances in Space Research, vol 53, Issue 10, 1506-1514 (2014)
Observation of extensive air showers in cloudy conditions by the JEM-EUSO Space Mission
G. Saez-Cano, K. Shinozaki, L. del Peral, M. Bertaina, M.D. Rodriguez Frias for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Advances in Space Research, vol 53, Issue 10, 1536-1543 (2014)
The JEM-EUSO mission: a space observatory to study the origin of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays
M. Bertaina, E. Parizot for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Physics B – Proceedings Supplements, 256-257, 275-286 (2014)
The Infrared Camera Prototype Characterization for the JEM-EUSO Space Mission
J. A. Morales de los Rios, E. Joven, L. del Peral, M. Reyes, J. Licandro and M.D. Rodriguez Frias for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Sect. A, vol. 749, 74-83 (2014)
Sensitivity of orbiting JEM-EUSO to large-scale cosmic-ray anisotropies
Peter B. Denton, Luis A. Anchordoqui, Andreas A. Berlind, Matthew Richardson, Thomas J. Weiler, for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Journal of Physics, Conference Series, 531, 012004 (2014)
Design and Characterization of the Optics and Microbolometer Electronics Breadboard of the Infrared Camera for JEM-EUSO
Y. Martín, M. Reyes Garcia-Talavera, E. Joven, J. A. Morales de los Ríos, M. Sanz-Palomino, C. González-Alvarado, T. Belenguer, O. Maroto, L. Díez, J. Licandro, M. D. Rodríguez-Frías
Conference Proceedings: International Conference on Space Optics, ICSO 2014
The JEM-EUSO Mission: Contributions to the ICRC 2013
The JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Conference Proceedings: 33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2013
Euso-Balloon: a pathfinder mission for the JEM-EUSO experiment
Giuseppe Osteria, Valentina Scotti for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Vol. 732, Issue 1, 320-324 (2013)
The JEM-EUSO time synchronization system
Valentina Scotti, Giuseppe Osteria on behalf of the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Vol. 718, 248-250 (2013)
Status of the JEM-EUSO mission and studies of the instrument’s performance
M. Bertaina on behalf of the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Physics B – Proceedings Supplements, 239-240, 225-230 (2013)
Status of JEM-EUSO and its test experiments EUSO-Balloon and TA-EUSO
A. Haungs for the JEM-EUSO collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 52, 06005 (2013)
The JEM-EUSO mission: Context and status
A. Santangelo for the JEM-EUSO collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 53, 09001 (2013)
Performances of JEM-EUSO
M. Bertaina, P. Bobik, F. Fenu, F. Garino, A. Guzman, K. Higashide, G. Medina Tanco, T. Mernik, G. Saez Cano, A. Santangelo and K. Shinozaki for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 53, 09002 (2013)
Calibration of the JEM-EUSO detector
N. Sakaki, J. Adams, M. Christl, P. Gorodetzky and L. Wiencke for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 53, 09004 (2013)
Calibration and testing of a prototype of the JEM-EUSO telescope on Telescope Array site
M. Casolino for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration, T. Fujii, D. Ikeda, Y. Tameda, T. Shibata, H. Sagawa, M. Fukushima, J.N. Matthews, G.B. Thomson, M. Takeda, S. Ogio, Y. Tsunesada, T. Tomida, J. Belz and P. Sokolsky for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 53, 09005 (2013)
The Atmospheric Monitoring System of the JEM-EUSO space mission
M.D. Rodriguez Frias, J.A. Morales de losRios, L. del Peral, G. Saez-Cano, K. Shinozaki, H. Prieto, J. H-Carretero, M.D. Sabau, T. Belenguer, C. Gonzalez Alvarado, M. Sanz Palomino, S. Briz, A.J. de Castro, I. Fernandez, F. Cortes, F. Lopez, J. Licandro, M. Reyes, E. Joven, K. Tsuno, T. Ogawa, O. Catalano, A. Anzalone, F. Isgro’, L. Valore, F. Guarino, M. Casolino, A. Cellino, M. Di Martino, M. Bertaina, R. Cremonini, F. Gola, F. Garino, B. Keilhauer, A. Neronov and S. Wada for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
EPJ Web of Conferences 53, 10005 (2013)
EUSO-BALLOON a pathfinder for detecting UHECR’s from the edge of space
P. von Ballmoos, S. Dagoret, A. Santangelo, J.H. Adams, P. Barrillon, J. Bayer, M. Bertaina, F. Cafagna, M. Casolino, G. Distratis, M. Dupieux, A. Ebersoldt, T. Ebisuzaki, Ph. Gorodetzky, A. Haungs, A. Jung, Y. Kawasaki, G. Medina-Tanco, B. Mot, G. Osteria, E. Parizot, I.H. Park, P. Picozza, G. Prévôt, H. Prieto, M. Ricci, M.D. Rodríguez Frías, G. Roudil, V. Scotti, J. Szabelski, Y. Takizawa and K. Tsuno
EPJ Web of Conferences 53, 09003 (2013)
Space-based observation of the extensive airshowers
T. Ebisuzaki
EPJ Web of Conferences 53, 01014 (2013)
Pioneering space based detector for study of cosmic rays beyond GZK Limit
B.A. Khrenov, M.I. Panasyuk, G.K. Garipov, N.N. Kalmykov, P.A. Klimov, V.S. Morozenko, S.A. Sharakin, A.V. Shirokov, I.V. Yashin, S.V. Biktemerova, A.A. Grinyuk, D.V. Naumov, L.G. Tkachev, A.V. Tkachenko, O.A. Saprykin, A.A. Botvinko, I. Park, J. Lee, G. Na, O. Martinez, H. Salazar and E. Ponce
EPJ Web of Conferences 53, 09006 (2013)
Remote sensing of water clouds temperature with an infrared camera on board the International Space Station in the frame of Japan Experiment Module-Extreme Universe Space Observatory mission
S. Briz, A.J. de Castro, I. Fernández-Gómez, I. Rodríguez, F. López
J. Appl. Remote Sens. 8(1), 084990 (2014)
Design of the front end electronics for the infrared camera of JEM-EUSO, and manufacturing and verification of the prototype model
O. Maroto, L. Diez-Merino, J. Carbonell, A. Tomàs, M. Reyes, E. Joven-Alvarez, Y. Martín, J. A. Morales de los Ríos, L. del Peral, M. D. Rodríguez-Frías
Conference Proceedings: SPIE (vol. 9154), High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy VI (2014)
Microbolometer characterization with the electronics prototype of the IRCAM for the JEM-EUSO mission
Y. Martín, E. Joven, M. Reyes, J. Licandro, O. Maroto, L. Díez-Merino, A. Tomàs, J. Carbonell, J. A. Morales de los Ríos, L. del Peral, M. D. Rodríguez-Frías
Conference Proceedings: SPIE (vol. 9143), Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2014: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave (2014)
Ground Truth calibration for the JEM-EUSO Mission
J.H. Adams Jr, M.J. Christl, S.E. Csorna, F. Sarazin, L.R. Wiencke for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
arXiv:1302.5863
The Atmospheric Monitoring system of the JEM-EUSO telescope
S. Toscano, A. Neronov, M.D. Rodriguez Frias, S. Wada for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Conference Proceeding: AtmoHEAD Workshop 2013
The JEM-EUSO Mission to Explore the Extreme Universe
G. Medina Tanco on behalf of the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Physics B – Proceedings Supplements, 229-232, 527 (2012)
JEM-EUSO experiment for extreme energy cosmic ray observation
Blahoslav Pastircák, Pavol Bobík, Karel Kudela for the JEM-EUSO collaboration
Conference Proceeding: Physics in Collision, Slovakia, 2012
On the possibility of neutrino flavor identification at the highest energies
A. D. Supanitsky, G. Medina-Tanco
Phys. Rev. D 86, 093020 (2012) – arXiv:1210.6797
The JEM-EUSO Mission
M. Ricci for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 375, 052009 (2012)
Observation of ultra-high energy cosmic rays in cloudy conditions by the space-based JEM-EUSO Observatory
Guadelupe Saez for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 375, 052010 (2012)
SPACIROC: A Front-End Readout ASIC for JEM-EUSO Cosmic Ray Observatory
Salleh Ahmad, Pierre Barrillon, Sylvie Blin-Bondil, Sylvie Dagoret-Campagne, Christophe Dela Taille, Frederic Dulucq, Gisele Martin-Chassard, Yoshiya Kawasaki, Hiroko Miyamoto, Hirokazu Ikeda, Tatsunari Iguchi, Fumiyoshi Kajino for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Physics Procedia, 37, 1600-1607 (2012)
The JEM-EUSO Mission: Status and Prospects in 2011
The JEM-EUSO Collaboration: J. H. Adams Jr, S. Ahmad, J.-N. Albert, D. Allard, M. Ambrosio, L. Anchordoqui et al.
Conference Proceedings: 32nd International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2011
Summary Report of JEM-EUSO Workshop at KICP in Chicago
J. H. Adams Jr, L. A. Anchordoqui, M. Bertaina, M. J. Christl, V. Connaughton, S. E. Csorna, T. Ebisuzaki, G. Medina-Tanco, A. V. Olinto, T. Paul, P. Picozza, A. Santangelo, K. Shinozaki, T. J. Weiler, L. Wiencke
Summary Report (2011)
Status of the JEM EUSO telescope on International Space Station
P. Gorodetzky for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Volumes 626- 627, Supplement, pag. S40-S43 (2011)
The JEM-EUSO Mission
T. Ebisuzaki, H. Mase, Y. Takizawa, Y. Kawasaki, H. Miyamoto, K. Shinozaki, H. Ohmori, Hachisu, S. Wada, T. Ogawa, F. Kajino, N. Inoue, N. Sakaki, J. Adams, M. Christl, R. Young, M. Bonamente, A. Santangelo, M. Teshima, E. Parizot, P. Gorodetzky, O. Catalano, P. Picozza, M. Casolino, M. Bertaina, M. Panasyuk, B. A. Khrenov, I. H. Park, A. Neronov, G. Medina-Tanco, D. Rodriguez-Frias, J. Szabelski, P. Bobik, R. Tsenov for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
AIP Conf. Proc. 1367, 120-125 (2011) – arXiv:1101.1909
Overall View of the JEM-EUSO Instruments
F. Kajino, T. Ebisuzaki, H. Mase, K. Tsuno, Y. Takizawa, Y. Kawasaki, K. Shinozaki, H. Ohmori, S. Wada, N. Inoue, N. Sakaki, J. Adams, M. Christl, R. Young, C. Ferguson, M. Bonamente, A. Santangelo, M. Teshima, E. Parizot, P. Gorodetzky, O. Catalano, P. Picozza, M. Casolino, M. Bertaina, M. Panasyuk, B. A. Khrenov, I. H. Park, A. Neronov, G. Medina-Tanco, D. Rodriguez-Frias, J. Szabelski, P. Bobik, R. Tsenov and The JEM-EUSO collaboration
AIP Conf. Proc. 1367, 197 (2011)
Unveiling the UHE Universe from space: the JEM-EUSO mission
A. Santangelo, F. Fenu, T. Ebisuzaki, K. Shinozaki, the JEM-EUSO collaboration
Nuclear Physics B – Proceedings Supplements, 212-213, 368-378 (2011)
The JEM-EUSO mission to explore the extreme Universe
Fumiyoshi Kajino for the JEM-EUSO collaboration
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Vol. 623, Issue 1, 422-424 (2010)
The data acquisition and handling system of JEM-EUSO experiment
M. Casolino for the JEM-EUSO collaboration
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Vol. 623, Issue 1, 516-518 (2010)
The JEM-EUSO Mission
M. Bertaina for the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Physics B – Proceedings Supplements, 190, 300-307 (2009)
JEM-EUSO mission on the ISS with the aim of performing particle astronomy
N. Inoue, K. Miyazawa, Y. Kawasaki the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Physics B – Proceedings Supplements, 196, 135-140 (2009)
The JEM-EUSO Project: Observing Extremely High Energy Cosmic Rays and Neutrinos from the International Space Station

T. Ebisuzaki, Y. Uehara, H. Ohmori, K. Kawai, Y. Kawasaki, M. Sato, Y. Takizawa, M. Bertaina, F. Kajino, T. Sawabe, K. Inoue, A. Sasaki, M. Sakata, Y. Yamamoto, M. Nagano, N. Inoue, T. Shibata, N. Sakaki, Y. Uchihori, Y. Takahashi, H. Shimizu, Y. Arai, Y. Kurihara, H. Fujimoto, S. Yoshida, Y. Mizumoto, S. Inoue, K. Asano, T. Sugiyama, J. Watanabe, H. Ikeda, M. Suzuki, T. Imamura, H. Yano, T. Murakami, D. Yonetoku, Y. Itow, M. Taguchi, M. Nagata, S. Nagataki, S. Abe, T. Tajima, J.H. Adams, S. Mitchell, M.J. Christl, J. Watts, A. English, Y. Takahashi, K. Pitalo, J. Hadaway, J. Geary, P. Readon, H. Crawford, C. Pennypacker, K. Arisaka, D. Cline, P. Gorodetsky, P. Salin, T. Patzark, A. Maurissen, M. Valentin
Nuclear Physics B Proceedings Supplements, 75, 237-240 (2007)
JEM-EUSO: Extreme Universe Space Observatory on JEM/ISS
Y. Takizawa, T. Ebisuzaki, Y. Kawasaki, M. Sato, M.E. Bertaina, H. Ohmori, Y. Takahashi, F. Kajino, M. Nagano, N. Sakaki, N. Inoue, H. Ikeda, Y. Arai, Y. Takahashi, T. Murakami, James H. Adams, the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
Nuclear Physics B – Proceedings Supplements, 166, 72-76 (2007)

EUSO-Balloon

EUSO-Balloon is a balloon-borne experiment performed in collaboration with the French Space Agency CNES. It was equipped with one full original JEM-EUSO PDM (photon detection module with 2304 pixels) and with an optical system made of two Fresnel lenses, with a side of 1 meter covering a field of view of 12 degrees. In addition to the main instrument, a stand-alone and waterproof infrared camera was on board.

The EUSO-Balloon payload in Timmins (CA). The optical system consists of two lenses of one square meter built in RIKEN and a focal surface of multi anode photomultipliers On top is the float to avoid sinking.

On the moonless night of August 25, 2014, the instrument, installed on board a Gondola, has been brought by a stratospheric balloon to a float altitude of 38 km for more than 5 hours before descending to ground. The flight has been performed by the balloon division of the French Space Agency CNES from Timmins Balloon base (Ontario, Canada) [ref.1]. The payload electronics draws from the experience of several balloon campaigns to study the antiparticle component in cosmic rays with a magnetic spectrometer in the year 1989-1998 (TS93, Caprice-94, 98…).

All the subsystems of EUSO-Balloon behaved in flight according to their nominal requirements, performing full scale end-to-end test of most of the key technologies and instrumentation of JEM-EUSO detectors.
A detailed and precise measurement of the UV background in different atmospheric and ground conditions was achieved. The instrument proved even the capability of detecting Extensive Air Showers by observing calibrated UV–led and Xe flashers and tracks of a laser shots emitted from a NASA-funded helicopter, which flew under the balloon for about two hours.

In addition, the UV emissions from northern Canada were sampled for the first time with a temporal resolution from 2.5ms to 1 s and a spatial resolution of 1km.

Image of a helicopter event. The flasher signals move from left to right.

he intensity map of UV background in photons m-2sr-1ns-1 in logarithmic scale. The bright areas with high intensities represent artificial light in Timmins with neighborhoods, mines, and airport. The red and light blue areas are related to cloud coverage.

Reference

J. H., et al. The EUSO-Balloon pathnder. Experimental Astronomy, 40:281{299, November 2015. doi: 10.1007/s10686-015-9467-9.

Collaboration

JEM-EUSO Collaboration: 17 Countries, 89 Organizations, 292 Researchers

AlgeriaNational PI: M. Traïche

Center of Research in Astronomy, Astrophysics and Geophysics (CRAAG), Algiers, Algeria

M. Fouka, S. Naitamor, Z. Sahnoun

Centre for Development of Advanced Technologies (CDTA), Algiers, Algeria

H. Attoui, M. Bakiri, N. Belkhalfa, K. Benmessai, A. Kedadra, H. Khales, H. Lahmar, M. Mahdi, M. Traïche

Research Unit on Optics and Photonics (UROP-CDTA), Sétif, Algeria

F. Lakhdari

University of Abou Bekr Belkaid Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria

G. Abdellaoui, B. Beldjilali

University of Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algeria

R. Attallah, T. Djemil, M.C. Talai

University of Constantine, Constantine, Algeria

N. Mebarki, J. Mimouni

University of Jijel, Jijel, Algeria

A. Ahriche

University of M'sila, M'sila, Algeria

S. Kalli

BulgariaNational PI: G. Vankova

University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria

M. Bogomilov, Y. Karadzhov, R. Tsenov, G. Vankova

Czech RepublicNational PI: K. Cerny

Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic

D. Mandat, M. Pech, P. Schovanek

Joint Laboratory of Optics, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic

K. Cerny

FranceNational PI: E. Parizot

APC, Paris Diderot University, CNRS/IN2P3, Paris, France

D. Allard, J. Capdevielle, A. Creusot, A. Neronov, E. Parizot, G. Prévôt

IRAP, University of Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse, France

A. Diaz Damian, P. von Ballmoos

OMEGA, Ecole polytechnique, CNRS/IN2P3, Palaiseau, France

S. Blin-Bondil, P. Dinaucourt, C.d. Taille

GermanyNational PI: A. Santangelo

Experimental Physics Institute, Kepler Center for Astro and Particle Physics, University of Tubingen, Tubingen, Germany

T. Jammer, J. Jochum

Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Kepler Center for Astro and Particle Physics, University of Tubingen, Tubingen, Germany

J. Bayer, A. Guzman, S. Piraino, G. Puehlhofer, A. Santangelo, T. Schanz, C. Tenzer

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany

P.L. Biermann, A. Ebersoldt, R. Engel, A. Haungs, M. Kleifges, A. Menshikov, W. Painter, H. Schieler, M. Weber, A. Weindl

Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

F. Capel

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

I. Kreykenbohm, M. Wille, J. Wilms

ItalyNational PI: M. Ricci

Gran Sasso National Laboratory, L'Aquilla, Italy

A. Cummings

INAF-IASF, National Institute for Astrophysics - Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Palermo, Italy

A. Anzalone, A. Bruno, O. Catalano, A. Pagliaro

INAF-OATO, National Institute for Astrophysics, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Turin, Italy

E. Arnone, A. Castellina, A. Cellino, D. Gardiol, P. Vallania

INFN, LNF, National Laboratory of Frascati, Rome, Italy

M. Ricci, F. Ronga

INFN, Section of Bari, Bari, Italy

R. Bellotti, F. Cafagna, A. Monaco, A. Scagliola

INFN, Section of Catania, Catania, Italy

A. Anzalone, R. Caruso, O. Catalano, A. Pagliaro, G. Saccà, F. Zuccarello

INFN, Section of Gran Sasso, L'Aquilla, Italy

A. Cummings

INFN, Section of Naples, Naples, Italy

D. Campana, R. Colalillo, F. Guarino, F. Isgrò, G. Osteria, B. Panico, F. Perfetto, R. Prevete, V. Scotti, L. Valore

INFN, Section of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

S. Bartocci, G. Cambiè, M. Casolino, L. Marcelli, P. Picozza, G. Romoli, A. Sotgiu

INFN, Section of Turin, Turin, Italy

E. Arnone, D. Barghini, M. Battisti, M. Bertaina, F. Bisconti, C. Cassardo, A. Castellina, A. Cellino, G. Cotto, F. Fenu, S. Ferrarese, P. Galeotti, D. Gardiol, A. Golzio, M. Manfrin, H. Miyamoto, Z. Plebaniak, P. Vallania, C. Vigorito

International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, Rome, Italy

L. Conti, C. Fornaro

University of Bari, Bari, Italy

R. Bellotti, F. Cafagna, A. Monaco, A. Scagliola

University of Catania, Catania, Italy

R. Caruso, F. Zuccarello

University of Naples, Naples, Italy

R. Colalillo, F. Guarino, F. Isgrò, R. Prevete, V. Scotti, L. Valore

University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

S. Bartocci, G. Cambiè, P. Picozza, G. Romoli

University of Turin, Turin, Italy

E. Arnone, D. Barghini, M. Battisti, M. Bertaina, C. Cassardo, G. Cotto, R. Cremonini, F. Fenu, S. Ferrarese, P. Galeotti, A. Golzio, M. Manfrin, H. Miyamoto, Z. Plebaniak, C. Vigorito

JapanNational PI: T. Ebisuzaki

Chiba University, Chiba, Japan

K. Mase, S. Yoshida

High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba, Japan

Y. Kurihara

Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

M. Sato, Y. Takahashi

Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR), The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan

K. Asano, M. Fukushima, D. Ikeda, T. Nonaka, H. Sagawa, M. Takeda

Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

Y. Itow

Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (JAXA), Sagamihara, Japan

M. Suzuki, H. Yano

Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

D. Yonetoku

Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU), The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan

K. Nomoto

Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, Japan

M. Chikawa

Konan University, Kobe, Japan

F. Kajino, T. Yamamoto

Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

T. Fujii, A. Saito

Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

H.M. Shimizu, N. Sugiyama

National Astronomical Observatory (NAOJ), Mitaka, Japan

T. Kajino, Y. Mizumoto, J. Watanabe

National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST), Chiba, Japan

Y. Uchihori

Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan

S. Abe

Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan

S. Ogio, Y. Tsunesada

Osaka Electro-Communication University, Neyagawa, Japan

Y. Tameda

RIKEN, Wako, Japan

C. Blaksley, M. Casolino, T. Ebisuzaki, P. Gorodetzky, S. Inoue, I. Kaneko, K. Katahira, K. Kawai, S. Nagataki, T. Ogawa, H. Ohmori, P. Picozza, L.W. Piotrowski, N. Sakaki, N. Tajima, T. Tajima, Y. Takizawa, K. Tsuno, S. Turriziani, S. Wada, A. Zuccaro Marchi

Saitama University, Saitama, Japan

N. Inoue

Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan

T. Tomida

Republic of KoreaNational PI: I.H. Park

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), Daejeon, Republic of Korea

J. Kim, S. Kim

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seoul, Republic of Korea

S. Jeong, I.H. Park, J. Yang

MexicoNational PI: G. Medina-Tanco

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico

O. Martínez, H. Salazar

Centro Mesoamericano de Fı́sica Teórica (MCTP), Chiapas, Mexico

O. Tibolla

National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico

G. Medina-Tanco, J. Sanchez, D. Supanitsky, J. Valdes-Galicia

Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas (UNACH), Chiapas, Mexico

K. Caballero Mora

Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo (UMSNH), Morelia, Mexico

L. Villaseñor

PolandNational PI: J. Szabelski

National Centre for Nuclear Research, Lodz, Poland

A. Djakonow, M. Kasztelan, K. Krolik, W. Marszał, M. Przybylak, K. Shinozaki, J. Szabelski

RomaniaNational PI: E.M. Popescu

Institute of Space Science ISS, Magurele, Romania

A. Caramete, L. Caramete, G. Chiritoi, E.M. Popescu, I. Stan, I. Zgura

RussiaNational PI: M.I. Panasyuk

Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR), Dubna, Russia

L. Tkachev

Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University (SINP MSU), Moscow, Russia

A. Belov, G. Garipov, B.A. Khrenov, P.A. Klimov, M.I. Panasyuk, S. Sharakin, I.V. Yashin, M.Yu. Zotov

Space Regatta Consortium, Korolev, Russia

O. Saprykin

SlovakiaNational PI: P. Bobik

Institute of Experimental Physics, Kosice, Slovakia

P. Bobik, S. Mackovjak, B. Pastirčák, M. Putis, I. Strharský

Technical University of Kosice (TUKE), Kosice, Slovakia

J. Baláž, J. Genci, M. Vrabel

SpainNational PI: M.D. Rodríguez Frías

Instituto de Astrofı́sica de Canarias (IAC), Tenerife, Spain

E. Joven, J. Licandro, Y. Martín, M. Reyes, M. Serra, O. Vaduvescu

Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain

T. Belenguer, C. Gonzalez Alvarado, M. Sabau, M. Sanz Palomino

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Madrid, Spain

Universidad de León (ULE), Leon, Spain

S. Fernández-González, E. García Ortega, E. Gascón, L. López Campano, J. Marcos, A. Merino, J. Sánchez, R. Weigand Muñoz

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Madrid, Spain

G. Alonso, S. Franchini, J. Meseguer, I. Pérez-Grande, S. Pindado, A. Sanz-Andrés

University of Alcalá (UAH), Madrid, Spain

M. Ave Pernas, L. del Peral, J. Hernández-Carretero, J. Morales de los Ríos, H. Prieto, M.D. Rodríguez Frías, G. Sáez Cano, B. Vlcek

SwedenNational PI: C. Fuglesang

KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

K. Bolmgren, P. Carlson, C. Fuglesang

SwitzerlandNational PI: A. Neronov

ISDC Data Centre for Astrophysics, Versoix, Switzerland

E. Bozzo, A. Neronov, S. Toscano

Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM), Neuchatel, Switzerland

N. Blanc, A. Pollini

USANational PI: A.V. Olinto

Colorado School of Mines, Golden, USA

R. Bachman, S. Bacholle, G. Filippatos, Y. Finch, F. Sarazin, L. Wiencke

Fairfield University, Fairfield, USA

D. Winn

Georgia Institute of Technology, North Ave, USA

M. Bagheri, E. Gazda, A. N. Otte, O. Romero Matamala

Lehman College, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, USA

L. Anchordoqui, T. Paul, J.F. Soriano

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, USA

C. Guepin, J.F. Krizmanic, T. Venters

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, USA

P. Bertone, M.J. Christl, R. Young

Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, USA

H.J. Crawford, E.G. Judd

University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, USA

J.H. Adams Jr., E. Kuznetsov, M. Mastafa, P. Reardon, J. Watts Jr.

University of Chicago, Chicago, USA

S. Briz, A.J. de Castro González, R. Diesing, J. Eser, F. Lopez, S.S. Meyer, A.V. Olinto

University of Iowa, Iowa, USA

J.M. Nachtman, Y. Onel, M. Reno

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA

J.N. Matthews, S.B. Thomas

EUSO-SPB

EUSO-SPB (EUSO Super Pressure Balloon) is an experiment on board a super pressure balloon for a long duration flight. EUSO-SPB was launched at 22:50 UTC on April 24th, 2017, from the NASA balloon launch site in Wanaka (New Zealand) and landed on the South Pacific Ocean on May 7th. Data analysis is in progress.

The instrument is an updated version of the first EUSO-Balloon payload. It includes a full original JEM-EUSO PDM (photon detection module with 2304 pixels), as in EUSO-Balloon, and a Fresnel lens optical system, 1 m each side, covering a field of view of ±6 degree. An improved version of the trigger allows to catch high energy cosmic ray events. The different parts of the instrument were realized in several countries in Europe and America and in Japan. The full integration of the telescope was made in Colorado at the School of Mines. After integration. the 2-ton payload was field-tested and calibrated at the EUSO-TA site and then shipped to the Wanaka Balloon Launch Facility. In parallel, we developed at RIKEN the data acquisition system, the real time quick-look for data and engineering values and the software for the monitoring of the payload.

The mission was controlled in real time 24/7 by three ground stations (located in Japan, Riken, Europe and USA respectively) linked via NASA to the Balloon. The flight lasted for 12 days, until 7/5/2017 due to a leak in the balloon, the cause of which is currently being assessed by NASA. Data analysis is currently in progress, and preliminary results show that the detector performed correctly.

A second Balloon flight, SPB2, is being planned for launch in 2022 with a new detector system for a longer flight duration which would allow to gather more statistics.

The data retrieved are being analyzed to search UV pulse signatures of UHECR air showers, meteoroids, atmosphere TLEs, SQM, LSPs. Moreover, slowly varying UV light signals, as airglow and bioluminescence also over the ocean, are under study.

NASA Credit

EUSO-SPB on the launch pad, in Wanaka. The payload is on the left, suspended from the crane which launched it.

The optics of the telescope employs a set of Fresnel lenses (1 square meter) developed, tested and calibrated in RIKEN. The optical system has a field of view of 11 degrees.

Flight path of the 2017 EUSO Super Pressure Balloon from New Zealand

A frame of the Pacific Ocean taken by EUSO-SPB from 30 km altitude. The focal surface has 2304 pixel and a field of view of 11 degrees, corresponding to 6km * 6km on the ground. Darker areas correspond to clouds that move with the passage of time (preliminary data).

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EUSO-SPB2

The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super Pressure Balloon II Mission (EUSO-SPB2) is a precursor for a next generation space observatory for multi-messenger astrophysics. The EUSO-SPB2 instrument will measure PeV and EeV-scale cosmic rays, optical backgrounds that could mimic tau neutrino interactions in the Earth’s limb, and search for optical signatures consistent with the upward-going candidate events that the Antarctic Impulse Transient Antenna (ANITA) reported.

The payload, now in the design and fabrication stage, features a pair of optical telescopes that have 1 meter diameter apertures. The Fluorescence Telescope will have sensitivity in the UV to target extensive air showers at EeV energies. The Cherenkov Telescope will have UV/VIS sensitivity to target Cherenkov emission from air showers at PeV energies. The planned launch date is 2022.

Reference: EUSO-SPB2 paper at ICRC2019 (https://pos.sissa.it/358/466/pdf)

The EUSO-SPB2 payload including gondola structure shown in a prelininary configuration, telescopes, solar panels, antennas, and ballast hoppers.

Mini-EUSO

Science objectives of Mini-EUSO experiment

Mini-EUSO Flight model during final vibration tests (Torrita di Siena).

The front Fresnel lens of Mini-EUSO. The blue checkered structure behind is the focal surface. In the top left and bottom right corners are present the Visible and Near Infrared cameras

Mini-euso FM during night-sky observations

One of the Nomex pouches containing the Solid State Drives for data storage and subsequent return to Earth

Mini-EUSO (Engineering Model) during night sky observation.

Left: the PDM unit of EUSO-TA. Center Mini-EUSO FM during assembly. Right: Mini-EUSO EM

The Mini-EUSO (Multiwavelength Imaging New Instrument for the Extreme Universe Space Observatory), telescope is designed to perform observations of the UV light emission from Earth. It will be located in front of the UV transparent window in the Zvezda Russian module in the ISS, looking at our planet in nadir mode.

The Mini-EUSO instrument (37 * 37 * 62 cm³) comprises a telescope with a large (40 degrees) field of view, based on an optical system which employs two Fresnel lenses (25 cm of diameter) for increased light collection. The UV light is then focused onto a 2304-pixel multi-anode photomultiplier focal surface (Photo-Detector-Module or PDM) similar to those flown in EUSO-Balloon, EUSO-SPB1 and EUSO-TA. Observations are complemented in the visible and Near Infrared range by two ancillary cameras and a number of UV sensors.

The main Mini-EUSO objectives are the study of atmospheric phenomena, like Transient Luminous Events (TLEs), meteors and meteoroides, the search for Strange Quark Matter (SQM) and the detection of some cosmic ray showers. Furthermore, Mini-EUSO could represent the first step in a roadmap of potential debris removal via laser ablation.

With Mini-EUSO – for the first time – create a dynamic map of nocturnal emissions of ultraviolet in the earth. These measurements are completed by a Near Infrared and a visible camera.

With this detector we can – for the first time – create a dynamic map of nocturnal emissions of ultraviolet in the Earth’s atmosphere, studying phenomena of terrestrial and astrophysical origin.

In detail, we can study several transient phenomena such as: a) marine bioluminescence and of the ‘milky sea’ phenomenon, generated by plankton, b) detection and study of meteorite, c) Search for quark strange matter. This hypothetical new state of matter could exist in quarks stars or at the center of neutron stars and reach the Earth in the form of interstellar meteorites. Due to their high density, these fragments of nuclear strange matter would appear as interstellar (220 km/s) meteorites that burn for a long time in the atmosphere and with spectral emissions different from the classical meteorites d) Search for Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.

Scheme of Mini-EUSO detector for observations from the inside of the ISS. Dimensions are 37 cm37 cm62 cm (with 25cm diameter lenses). The instrument will be placed in the nadir UV transparent window of the International Space Station.

Astronaut Paolo Nespoli with RIKEN manufactured lens for MINI-EUSO.

Mini-EUSO engineering model during assembly. In the center of the picture it is possible to see the 36 Multi-anode photomultiplier (2304 pixel) focal surface with readout electronics.

TUS

TUS (Tracking Ultraviolet Setup) is a satellite mission for the study of UHECR. It has been placed in orbit on April 28, 2016 on board the Lomonosov satellite by the Soyuz 2.1 rocket from the Russian Vostochny Cosmodrome, at an altitude ranging from 468 and 483 km and inclination of 97,3 degrees. Expected life time of the mission is more than 3 years. Results of the first year of operation have been published.

The fluorescence and Cherenkov UV yield of Extensive Air Showers (EAS) generated by UHECR particles are detected from TUS at the night side of the Earth atmosphere allowing for the measurement of the CR spectrum, composition and arrival directions at E > 7 x 10¹⁹ eV beyond the GZK energy limit. TUS is also searching for objects as meteoroids, atmosphere TLEs, SQM, LSPs and it measures slowly varying UV light as airglow.

The TUS detector consists of two main parts: a mirror-concentrator with an area of 2 m² and a photodetector composed of 256 pixels, located at the mirror focus as shown in figure. The main parameters of the detector are listed in table below.
The mirror-concentrator is made of an ensemble of 11 parabolic rings that focus a parallel beam to a focal point. The thickness of the mirror is 3 cm and its focal distance is 1.5 m. The mirror is cut into hexagonal segments with diagonal 63 cm. The segments are made of carbon plastic supported by a honey comb aluminium plate, covered by an aluminum film and protected by a MgF2 coat. The reflectivity of the mirror surface at wavelength 350 nm (average for the atmosphere fluorescence) is 85%.
The photodetector consists of 16 clusters, each of 16 photomultipliers, for a total of 256 pixels read by the front end cluster boards. The PMTs are the R1463 of Hamamatsu with multi-alcali cathode of 13 mm diameter. The quantum efficiency of the PMT cathode is 20% for wavelength 350 nm.

K-EUSO

K-EUSO will be the first detector to measure UHECR from space, allowing a measurment of the UHECR spectrum and anisotropy over the full celestial sphere. Since its first conception as KLYPVE, the project has evolved into K-EUSO, and the use of Riken’s optics has allowed an increase of the field of view and consequently of the UHECR statistics.

The temporal and spatial evolution of UV light recorded by K-EUSO will allow the reconstruction of the EAS, and thus the measurement of the energy and arrival direction of the UHECR. Attached to the Russian MRM-1 module on-board ISS, it will detect UHECRs above 2 × 10¹⁹ eV with a yearly exposure of about 4 times that of the Auger observatory. K-EUSO is planned to operate for a minimum of 3 years with the possibility to function for more than 6 years if the lifetime of the ISS is extended to 2028.

The main goals of K-EUSO – and not achievable by ground based observatories independently of their size are:

To perform the first all-sky observation of UHECR, in order to establish whether – and from what energy – the particle fluxes of the two hemispheres are different.
Data of Telescope Array and Auger show that the UHECR extragalactic sky appears to be very asymmetric at the highest energy region, with a factor of 6 difference between the fluxes in the North and in the South. Whether the differences are due to the intrinsic physics or measurement systematics is one of very important questions that the present ground experiments are facing. Data from K-EUSO will give a definite answer to this question after only first six months of operation.
To analyze UHECR clustering in order to independently confirm (or rule out) the presence of the TA hotspot. After one year of observation the TA hotspot would be confirmed at the 3σ level along with an independent measurement of the energy spectrum. Also, the Auger “warm spot” would be independently detected – if present – by K-EUSO.
To study UHECR anisotropies over various angular scales, including possible correlation to nearby large-scale extragalactic structures (≈40 degrees), Milky-Way related features, and dipole-type anisotropy.

Previous Legacy: We have experience in construction and operation of more than10 detectors, from large satellite borne instruments such as PAMELA [ref.1, ref.2, ref.3, ref.4, ref.5] and NINA to those on board space stations: from Russian Mir (’90s, Sileye-1, -2) to the ISS (Sileye-3, Altea, Lazio).

Location of K-EUSO on the MRM-1 module of the Russian section of the ISS.

References

Bogomolov, E. A., et al. Spectra of solar neutrons with energies of 10 – 1000 MeV in the PAMELA experiment in the are events of 2006 – 2015. Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Physics, 81:132-135, February 2017. doi: 10.3103/S1062873817020113.
Koldobskiy, S. A., et al. Solar modulation of cosmic deuteron uxes in the PAMELA experiment. Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Physics, 81:151-153, February 2017. doi: 10.3103/S106287381702023X.
Adams, J. H., et al. Space experiment TUS on board the Lomonosov satellite as pathnder of JEM-EUSO. Experimental Astronomy, 40:315-326, November 2015. doi: 10.1007/s10686-015-9465-y.
Mori, N., et al. Pamela measurements of the boron and carbon spectra. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 632(1), 2015. doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/632/1/012017.
Prieto-Alfonso, H., et al. Radiation hardness assurance for the jem-euso space mission. Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 133(0):137-145, 2015. ISSN 0951-8320. doi: 10.1016/j.ress.2014.08.014.