What is "perdaix"

PERDaix (Proton Electron Radiation Detector Aix-la-Chapelle) is a novel,small and light weight magnet spectrometer to measure the charge and mass dependent solar modulation periodically for deeper understanding of cosmic rays. For a better understanding of sources and acceleration of cosmic particles direct measurements of cosmic rays are necessary. Also for a better understanding of the solar modulation which is expected to follow the 22-year solar cycle, time dependent measurements are needed. PERDaix is a newly designed detector which is constructed by the Department of Physics 1b, RWTH Aachen University. Being proposed to the German Space Agency in November 2009 for a participation in the BEXUS Program (Rocket and Balloon Experiments for University Students) after a first canceled flight attempt in October 2010 the actual flight took place as a post-BEXUS-campaign flight opportunity in November 2010.

The detector is able to measure charged particles in the energy range of 0.5 GeV to 5 GeV. PERDaix uses a time of flight system, a scintillating fiber tracker with SiPM readout, and a transition radiation detector in combination with a permanent magnet to measure particle fluxes. The BEXUS balloons are launched at Esrange Space Center near Kiruna, Sweden. In November 2010 PERDaix reached a top altitude of 33.3 km at which it kept floating for 1.5 hours.