Experimental Study of Emission of X – Ray  and Variation of Secondary Cosmic Ray  Flux at Some Energy During Appearance  of Comet Hyakutake March, 1996

Devendra  Pareek; S.N.A. Jaaffrey

Volume : III, Issue : IV, April - 2014

Experimental Study of Emission of X – Ray and Variation of Secondary Cosmic Ray Flux at Some Energy During Appearance of Comet Hyakutake March, 1996

Devendra Pareek, S. N. A. Jaaffrey

Abstract :

Comet study has been planned to see the role of comet in the sky on observing X - ray and variation secondary cosmic rays flux. For this experimental study was conducted by scintillation counter with lead shield in the energy range of 10 keV to 5 MeV and ADCAM 100 ORTEC system for data acquisition. Ground based observations of Comet Hyakutake were conducted of the day�s 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st March 1996, pointing our detector towards Comet Hyakutake and also observed background after two hours on above dates when comet set below horizon (comet disappeared from the sky and was not visible in the sky). Analyses showed large amount of X-rays is observed from comet and unusual variation and enhancement of secondary cosmic flux in energy spectrum of specific energies of about 1.127 MeV, 2.29 MeV and 3.66 MeV. This was unique and astonishing result we observed in the study of Comet. The results have been interpreted on the basis of Production of unexpected X-rays from comet may be due to absorption of X-ray from the sun by a cloud of gases water molecule surrounding the nuclei of the comet and then remitted by the molecules in a process of fluorescence. Another possible explanation is that the X-rays are produced from the violent collision between the comet material and supersonic wind of plasma and high energy particles streaming away from the Sun. Unusual variation and enhancement of secondary cosmic flux at some energy can be understand on the basis of due to high energy cosmic ray (GCR) and solar energetic particle (SEP) collision with comet nuclei which undergo fragmentation followed by the emission of light nuclei (p, n, �½, α) with high energy. These energetic particles impinge deep inside the atmosphere of the Earth which produces shower of secondary cosmic ray particles.