Geometrical track parameters in the pallasite olivine: Identification of the cosmic ray heavy nuclei

The geometry characteristics of chemically etched tracks in the not annealed olivine crystals from pallasite meteorites are investigated with the search and identification goal of fossil tracks of galactic cosmic ray heavy and superheavy nuclei. The chosen methodology is based on precise measurements of the nucleus track parameters in the course of chemical etching of the olivine crystals. Geometric parameters of individual tracks are traced and measured in course of their step-by-step chemical etching by using a modern high-precision, completely automated facility PAVICOM designed at the Lebedev Physical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences. A method of the layer-by-layer removal of olivine material is employed, which allows the tracks to be studied over the whole crystal volume under study. It is planned to measure the next main parameters: the cone length and diameters of etched track within the initial, high-energy section of its formation; the total residual range and diameters, corresponding to saturation zone of the primary ionization; and the etching rate along the different parts of tracks, the starting inter-volume olivine crystal point for which were fixed. The preliminary experimental results obtained for 42 tracks, detected and analyzed in the Marjalahti pallasite olivine crystals, are presented