LEE (Low Energy Electrons)

Developed by University of Chicago

Balloon launched on 8/31/1979, from Thompson, Manitoba, Canada

Purpose of the flight and payload description

LEE was an instrument which measured the energy spectrum of comic ray electrons. In the picture at left we can see a scheme of it. It detects incoming electrons with 3 plastic scintillators (T1, T3 and G in the drawing) the last one for anticoincidence and a gas Cherenkov detector (T2). The electron energy is measured in a cesium iodide (T4) and leadglass (T5) calorimeter. Another Scintillator (T6) also assists in particle identification and energy determination by counting the number of particles that escape the calorimeter.

The LEE instrument was developed in the late 60's at the University of Chicago and made his first flight in 1968. Over time, regular ballon flights have been made from Northern Canada every year from 1968 to 1975 and approximately bi-annually until 1979. Then, the experiment was transfered to the University of Delaware, wich now operates it.

The observations obtained by LEE provided very precise measurements of the electron spectrum over an extended period of time.

Details of the balloon flight

Balloon launched on: 8/31/1979 at 5:30 utc
Launch site: Thompson, Manitoba, Canada  
Balloon launched by: National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon Winzen 436.079 m3 (12.70 microns Stratofilm)
Flight identification number: 161N
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 9/1/1979
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): F 30 h 30 m
 Payload weight: 634 kgs.

External references

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