Measurement of the mass-changing, charge-changing and production cross sections of $^{11}$C, $^{11}$B and $^{10}$B nuclei in $^{12}$C+p interactions at 13.5 GeV/c per nucleon

TL;DR

This study measures the cross sections for nuclear fragmentation of $^{12}$C at 13.5 GeV/c per nucleon, providing data crucial for understanding cosmic-ray boron production in the galaxy.

Contribution

It presents new experimental measurements of mass-changing, charge-changing, and production cross sections of specific light nuclei relevant to cosmic-ray physics.

Findings

Measured cross sections for $^{11}$C, $^{11}$B, and $^{10}$B.

Provided data on carbon-hydrogen interaction cross sections.

Contributed to cosmic-ray propagation models.

Abstract

We report results from a 2018 pilot run to study the feasibility of nuclear fragmentation measurements with the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN SPS. These results are important for the interpretation of the production of light secondary cosmic-ray nuclei (Li, Be, and B) in the Galaxy. The specific focus here is on cross sections important for the production of boron in the Galaxy from the interactions of $^{12}$C nuclei with hydrogen in the interstellar medium, including the contribution from the decay of the short-lived $^{11}$C fragments. The data were taken with the secondary $^{12}$C beam at beam momentum of 13.5 GeV/c per nucleon and two fixed targets, polyethylene (CH$_2$) and graphite (C), from which we derive the cross sections of carbon on hydrogen. We present the measurement of the fragmentation cross sections of $^{11}$C, $^{11}$B, and $^{10}$B as well as the mass- and charge-changing cross sections.