The Transition Effect for Large Bursts of Cosmic-Ray Ionization—II

Abstract

Observations were made of the bursts of cosmic-ray ionization in a chamber covered by thin plates of lead, iron, and magnesium. From the observed multiplications of the numbers of rays in the shield, it is possible to separate the bursts of ionization caused by large atmospheric showers from bursts caused by heavily ionizing particles ejected from the chamber walls. Knowledge of the number of atmospheric showers allows the energy spectrum of the cosmic-ray electrons in the high atmosphere to be calculated. The integral spectrum is found to follow a power law with the exponent -3.1 in the region near 2×${10}^{15}$ electron volts.