1. One of the sensitive planes of the calorimeter (50X50 cm2)
WIZARD is an experimental programme for the search of antimatter in the cosmic rays. This scientific item, first proposed by the American physicist R.L. Golden, has come up in order to verify some implications of the Big Bang Theory.
Initially, experiments at high altitude (40 km) are carried out by means of stratospheric balloons.
2. The experimental apparatus
At the Trieste INFN Silicon Detector Laboratory - which was created for this experiment - the detectors and their assembly have been studied in order to form large sensitive planes for the electromagnetic calorimeter. Over 1000 detectors have been carefully analysed and installed in the calorimeter, a total of 5 m2 of silicon.
Fig. 1 shows one of the sensitive planes of the calorimeter set up in Trieste.
In fig. 2 the experimental apparatus is ready for launch with a stratospheric baloon. The calorimeter worked at a height of 40 km and was in perfect shape upon rescue, after being parachuted.
3. The quality of the collected data is well visible in this plot which contains data obtained from the Wizard experiment (black dots), together with results from other experiments on the ratio e+/e++e- in cosmic rays
4. The launching of the experimental apparatus
Fig. 4 shows the launching of the experimental apparatus, by NASA, in the desert of New Mexico.
Great part of the data analized today has stimulated a new project called PAMELA; a similar instrument will be sent into a 800 km high orbit and will collect data for 3 years on antimatter in cosmic rays.