Precise Measurement of the Cosmic Ray Helium Spectrum above 0.1 PeV

作者：Zhen Cao, F Aharonian, Y. X. Bai, Y. W. Bao, D Bastieri, X. J. Bi, Y. J. Bi, Weixin Bian, J. Blunier, A. V. Bukevich, C. M. Cai, Y. Y. Cai, W. Y. Cao, Zhe Cao, J. Chang, J. F. Chang, E. S. Chen, G. H. Chen, H. K. Chen, L. F. Chen, Liang Chen, Long Chen, M. J. Chen, M. L. Chen, Q. H. Chen, S. Chen, S. Chen, S. Chen, T. L. Chen, X. B. Chen, X. J. Chen, X. P. Chen, Yu Chen, Ning Cheng, Q. Y. Cheng, Y. D. Cheng, M. Y. Cui, S. W. Cui, X. H. Cui, Y. D. Cui, B. Z. Dai, H. L. Dai, Z. G. Dai, Danzengluobu, Y. X. Diao, A. J. Dong, X. Q. Dong, K. K. Duan, J. H. Fan, Y. Z. Fan, J. Fang, J. H. Fang, Kun Fang, C. F. Feng, Hao Feng, L. Feng, S. H. Feng, X. T. Feng, Y. Feng, Y. L. Feng, S. Gabici, Bo Gao, Q. D. Gao, W. Gao, W. K. Gao, M. M. Ge, T. T. Ge, L. S. Geng, Gwenael Giacinti, G. H. Gong, Q. B. Gou, M. H. Gu, F. L. Guo, Jian‐Hua Guo, K. J. Guo, X. L. Guo, Y. Q. Guo, Y. Y. Guo, R. P. Han, O. A. Hannuksela, M Hasan, H. H. He, H. N. He, J. Y. He, X. Y. He, Yan He, S. Hernández-Cadena, B. W. Hou, C. Hou, Xiaohan Hou, H. B. Hu, S. C. Hu, Chun-Hao P. Huang, D. H. Huang, J. J. Huang, X. L. Huang, X. T. Huang, X. Y. Huang, Y. Huang, Y. Y. Huang, A. Inventar, X. L. Ji, H. Y. Jia, Ke Jia, H. B. Jiang, Kai Jiang, X. W. Jiang, Z. J. Jiang, Min Jin, S Kaci, M. M. Kang, I. Karpikov, D. Khangulyan, D. Kuleshov, K. Kurinov, Cheng Li, Cong Li, Di Li, Fan Li, H. B. Li, H. C. Li, J. R. Li, Jie Li, Keran Li, Liang Li, R. L. Li, S. D. Li, T. Y. Li, W. L. Li, X. R. Li, Y. Li, Zhe Li, Zhuo Li, E. W. Liang, Y. F. Liang, S. J. Lin, P. Lipari, B. Liu, Congzhan Liu, D. Liu, D. B. Liu, H. Liu, K. Liu, K. Liu, K. Liu, M. Y. Liu, R. Y. Liu, S. M. Liu, Weiwei Liu, X. Li, Y. Liu, Y. Liu, Y. N. Liu, Y. Q. Lou, Qingming Luo, Y. Luo, H. K. Lv, B. Q. Ma, L. L. Ma, X. H. Ma, I. O. Maliy, J. R. Mao, Z. Min, W. Mitthumsiri, Y. Mizuno, G. B. Mou, A. Neronov, K. C. Y. Ng, M. Y. Ni, L. Nie, L. J. Ou, Z. W. Ou, P. Pattarakijwanich, Z. Y. Pei, D. Y. Peng, J. C. Qi, M. Y. Qi, J. J. Qin, D. Qu, A Raza, C. Y. Ren, D. Ruffolo, A. Sáiz, D. Savchenko, D. Semikoz, L. Shao, O. Shchegolev, Y. Z. Shen, X. D. Sheng, Z. D. Shi, F. W. Shu, H. C. Song, Yin Su, D. X. Sun, Hao Sun, J. X. Sun, Q. N. Sun, X. N. Sun, Z. B. Sun, N. H. Tabasam, J. Takata, P. H. T. Tam, H. B. Tan, Q. W. Tang, Ruqi Tang, Z. B. Tang, W. W. Tian, C. N. Tong, L. H. Wan, C. Wang, D. H. Wang, G. W. Wang, H. G. Wang, J. C. Wang, K. Wang, Kai Wang, Kai Wang, L. P. Wang, L. Y. Wang, L. Y. Wang, Renxi Wang, Wei Wang, X. G. Wang, X. J. Wang, X. Y. Wang, Y. Wang, Y. D. Wang, Z. H. Wang, Z. X. Wang, Zheng Wang, D. M. Wei, J. J. Wei, Y. J. Wei, Tao Wen, S. S. Weng, C. Y. Wu, H. R. Wu, Q. W. Wu, Shaobo Wu, X. F. Wu, Y. S. Wu, S. Q. Xi, J. Xia, J. J. Xia, G. M. Xiang, D. X. Xiao, Gang Xiao, Y. F. Xiao, Y. L. Xin, H. D. Xing, Yi Xing, D. R. Xiong, B. N. Xu, C. Y. Xu, D. L. Xu, R. F. Xu, R. X. Xu, S. S. Xu, W. L. Xu, L. Xue, D. H. Yan, Tingyu Yan, C. W. Yang, C. Y. Yang, F. F. Yang, L. L. Yang, M. J. Yang, R. Z. Yang, W. X. Yang, Z. H. Yang, Z. G. Yao, X. A. Ye, L. Q. Yin, N Yin, X. H. You, Z. Y. You, Quan Yuan, Hui Yue, H. D. Zeng, T. X. Zeng, Wang Zeng, X. T. Zeng, M. Zha, B. B. Zhang, B. T. Zhang, C. Zhang, Hongqi Zhang, Hongqi Zhang, Hongqi Zhang, J. L. Zhang, J. Y. Zhang, Li Zhang, P. F. Zhang, Rui Zhang, S. R. Zhang, S. S. Zhang, S. Y. Zhang, W. Zhang, W. Y. Zhang, X. Zhang, X. P. Zhang, Yi Zhang, Yong Zhang, Z. P. Zhang, J. Zhao, L. Zhao, L. Z. Zhao, S. P. Zhao, X. H. Zhao, Z. H. Zhao, F. Zheng, T. C. Zheng, Bo Zhou, Haibiao Zhou, J. N. Zhou, Miaomiao Zhou, P Zhou, Rong Zhou, X. X. Zhou, X. X. Zhou, B. Y. Zhu, C. G. Zhu, F. R. Zhu, Hui Zhu, K. J. Zhu, Y. C. Zou, Xiaobing Zuo · 发表于：Physical Review Letters · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1103/d838-49gt · 被引用次数：2 · 研究领域：Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena、Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena、Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry

We report a measurement of the cosmic ray helium energy spectrum in the energy interval 0.16-13 PeV, derived by subtracting the proton spectrum from the light component (proton and helium) spectrum obtained with observations made by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) under a consistent energy scale. The helium spectrum shows a significant hardening centered at E≃1.1 PeV, followed by a softening at ∼7 PeV, indicating the appearance of a helium "knee." Comparing the proton and helium spectra in the LHAASO energy range reveals some remarkable facts. In the lower part of this range, in contrast to the behavior at lower energies, the helium spectrum is significantly softer than the proton spectrum. This results in protons overtaking helium nuclei and becoming the largest cosmic ray component at E≃0.7 PeV. A second crossing of the two spectra is observed at E≃5 PeV, above the proton knee, when helium nuclei overtake protons to become the largest cosmic ray component again. These results have important implications for our understanding of the Galactic cosmic ray sources.