JEM-EUSO
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JEM-EUSO -- Based on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) on the International Space Station, JEM-EUSO is a new type of observatory that will utilize very large volumes of the earth's atmosphere as a detector of the most energetic particles in the Universe. JEM-EUSO (EUSO for "Extreme Universe Space Observatory") observes the brief flashes of light in the earth's atmosphere caused by particles arriving from deep space. The key element of the sensor is a very wide-field, very fast, large-lense telescope that can detect extreme energy particles with energy above 1019 eV. Every 90 minutes, JEM-EUSO orbits the earth, mounted to the International Space Station (ISS) at an altitude of approximately 400km.
An extreme energy cosmic ray particle with the energy higher than about 1019 eV will occasionally approach the earth's atmosphere -- when it enters, the particle collides with a nucleus of an air atom and produces an Extensive Air Shower (EAS) that consists of numerous electrons, positrons, and photons. JEM-EUSO captures the moving track of the resulting fluorescent UV photons every several micro seconds, and reproduces the development of air shower with very high precision through the atmosphere, measuring accurately the positions and energy of the shower. The shower is kilometers wide, and many kilometers long. These time-segmented images - in some ways, a "movie" of this cosmic scale event -- allow JEM-EUSO scientists to measure the energies and directions of the primary particles. The instantaneous aperture of JEM-EUSO is larger than that of successful Pierre Auger Observatory by a factor of 50 - 250, and hence follows in its tradition, but with greatly improved powers.
JEM-EUSO has been selected as the candidate mission of the second utilization of JEM/EF. A two-year-long Phase-A/B study has started. JEM-ESO is planned to be launched in 2013 by the Japanese heavy lift rocket - the H2B, and then conveyed to ISS by HTV (H-II transfer Vehicle). more...
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News No.315 September 2007