Velocity Spectrometry of 3.5-GeV Nitrogen Ions

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Abstract
The velocity distributions of primary and secondary particles produced by 3.5-GeV N ions were measured as a function of depth in a polyethylene absorber and compared with calculations using an extension of a recently developed theoretical model. The experimental data were obtained at the Princeton Particle Accelarator using a direct measurement of the time of flight of emerging charges particles. In the calculation, secondary-article production was computed using cross sections given by the semiempirical model of Silberg and Tsao. Detector resolution, multiple scattering, and the energy spread of the incident beam were folded into the calculation. Qualitative agreement was obtained between the theoretical and the experimental spectra. The main sources of uncertainty arose from limited knowledge of secondary-particle production cross sections and multiplicities, especially those of the lightest secondaries. The importance of such beam characterizations for the dosimetry necessary for radiobiological and medical [human] utilization of beams of heavy ions is discussed.

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