The proposed program will emphasize precision in the galactic propagation
and solar modulation calculations, achieved by independent calculations by
the CRIS investigators and our proposed team. The very precise new isotopic
abundances obtained from this study will then be used to provide definitive
answers to many key questions related to the origin and propagation of
cosmic rays. These include the decay of K-capture nuclei and their role in
understanding possible IS reacceleration and IP energy loss; the
determination of the precise source abundance for many rarer cosmic ray
nuclei; and a re-evalution of the effects of solar modulation and
interstellar propagation with the goal of reducing these uncertainties to a
level consistent with the CRIS data accuracy. This study has the potential
of not only dramatically refocusing our understanding of the acceleration
of cosmic rays, but also providing critical answers to several
interdisciplinary problems in astrophysics ranging from element production
in the early universe to the dynamics of supernova explosions.
Our Email Address: asc@srl.caltech.edu