The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

Abstract

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a particle physics detector designed to operate on the International Space Station (ISS). The aim of AMS is the direct detection of charged particles in the rigidity range from 0.5 GV to few TV to perform high statistics studies of cosmic rays in space and search for antimatter and dark matter. This will be possible because of the large geometrical acceptance, a very accurate energy determination and a very precise particle identification through redundant measurements of its energy, velocity and electric charge. AMS is scheduled to be placed on the ISS at the beginning of 2008 for a 3 year exposure.