Compact tracking calorimeters for the detection of low-energy cosmic-ray (anti-)nuclei

Martin J. Losekamm; Liesa Eckert; Peter Hinderberger; Luise Meyer-Hetling; Stephan Paul; Thomas Pöschl

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2025.170982

Compact tracking calorimeters for the detection of low-energy cosmic-ray (anti-)nuclei

Martin J. Losekamm
, Liesa Eckert
, Peter Hinderberger
, Luise Meyer-Hetling
, Stephan Paul
, Thomas Pöschl

Chair of Physics I

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Low-energy cosmic and solar radiation serves as a probe for investigations in astrophysics and heliophysics, and at the same time constitutes a risk to the spacecraft and crew of deep-space exploration missions. We present compact tracking calorimeters made from scintillating-plastic fibers and silicon photomultipliers that can determine the charge and energy of individual cosmic-ray nuclei with energies in the MeV-to-GeV range. Their comprehensive particle-identification capabilities allow to accurately determine the radiation exposure of astronauts and have potential applications in the indirect detection of dark matter.

Original language	English
Article number	170982
Journal	Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Volume	1082
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2025.170982
State	Published - Feb 2026

Keywords

Indirect dark-matter searches
Radiation monitoring
Scintillating fibers
Silicon photomultipliers
Tracking calorimeter

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10.1016/j.nima.2025.170982

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Losekamm, M. J., Eckert, L., Hinderberger, P., Meyer-Hetling, L., Paul, S., & Pöschl, T. (2026). Compact tracking calorimeters for the detection of low-energy cosmic-ray (anti-)nuclei. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 1082, Article 170982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2025.170982

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title = "Compact tracking calorimeters for the detection of low-energy cosmic-ray (anti-)nuclei",

abstract = "Low-energy cosmic and solar radiation serves as a probe for investigations in astrophysics and heliophysics, and at the same time constitutes a risk to the spacecraft and crew of deep-space exploration missions. We present compact tracking calorimeters made from scintillating-plastic fibers and silicon photomultipliers that can determine the charge and energy of individual cosmic-ray nuclei with energies in the MeV-to-GeV range. Their comprehensive particle-identification capabilities allow to accurately determine the radiation exposure of astronauts and have potential applications in the indirect detection of dark matter.",

keywords = "Indirect dark-matter searches, Radiation monitoring, Scintillating fibers, Silicon photomultipliers, Tracking calorimeter",

author = "Losekamm, \{Martin J.\} and Liesa Eckert and Peter Hinderberger and Luise Meyer-Hetling and Stephan Paul and Thomas P{\"o}schl",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors",

year = "2026",

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doi = "10.1016/j.nima.2025.170982",

language = "English",

volume = "1082",

journal = "Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment",

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Compact tracking calorimeters for the detection of low-energy cosmic-ray (anti-)nuclei. / Losekamm, Martin J.; Eckert, Liesa; Hinderberger, Peter et al.
In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 1082, 170982, 02.2026.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Compact tracking calorimeters for the detection of low-energy cosmic-ray (anti-)nuclei

AU - Losekamm, Martin J.

AU - Eckert, Liesa

AU - Hinderberger, Peter

AU - Meyer-Hetling, Luise

AU - Paul, Stephan

AU - Pöschl, Thomas

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - Low-energy cosmic and solar radiation serves as a probe for investigations in astrophysics and heliophysics, and at the same time constitutes a risk to the spacecraft and crew of deep-space exploration missions. We present compact tracking calorimeters made from scintillating-plastic fibers and silicon photomultipliers that can determine the charge and energy of individual cosmic-ray nuclei with energies in the MeV-to-GeV range. Their comprehensive particle-identification capabilities allow to accurately determine the radiation exposure of astronauts and have potential applications in the indirect detection of dark matter.

AB - Low-energy cosmic and solar radiation serves as a probe for investigations in astrophysics and heliophysics, and at the same time constitutes a risk to the spacecraft and crew of deep-space exploration missions. We present compact tracking calorimeters made from scintillating-plastic fibers and silicon photomultipliers that can determine the charge and energy of individual cosmic-ray nuclei with energies in the MeV-to-GeV range. Their comprehensive particle-identification capabilities allow to accurately determine the radiation exposure of astronauts and have potential applications in the indirect detection of dark matter.

KW - Indirect dark-matter searches

KW - Radiation monitoring

KW - Scintillating fibers

KW - Silicon photomultipliers

KW - Tracking calorimeter

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105014922766

U2 - 10.1016/j.nima.2025.170982

DO - 10.1016/j.nima.2025.170982

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105014922766

SN - 0168-9002

VL - 1082

JO - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

JF - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

M1 - 170982

ER -

Compact tracking calorimeters for the detection of low-energy cosmic-ray (anti-)nuclei

Abstract

Keywords

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