ABSTRACT

The production rates of ⁷Be from ¹⁶O by cosmic rays were measured at three locations of different latitudes and altitudes. From the altitude dependence of the production rates, the attenuation length of L =165 ± 30g/cm² was obtained. This value falls in the range of the reported values obtained by physical methods for the atmospheric neutrons. The experimental value at the sea level of the geomagnetic latitude, λ = 25°N, was in good agreement with the value calculated from the generally accepted atmospheric neutron spectrum and the best estimated excitation function. The latitude effect on the production rate is also discussed.