The charge and energy spectra of heavy cosmic-ray nuclei

A charged particle detector array flown on a high altitude balloon has detected and measured some 3 x 104 cosmic-ray nuclei with Z >= 12. The charge spectrum at the top of the atmosphere for nuclei with E > 650 MeV.n-1 and the energy spectrum for 650 <= E < 1800 MeV.n-1 are reported and compared with previously published results. The charge spectrum at the 'source' of cosmic rays is deduced from these data and compared with a recent compilation of 'galactic' abundances. (Auth.)