Measurements of 0.2–20 GeV/n cosmic-ray proton and helium spectra from 1997 through 2002 with the BESS spectrometer

We measured low energy cosmic-ray proton and helium spectra in the kinetic energy range 0.215–21.5 GeV/n at different solar activities during a period from 1997 to 2002. The observations were carried out with the BESS spectrometer launched on a balloon at Lynn Lake, Canada. A calculation for the correction of secondary particle backgrounds from the overlying atmosphere was improved by using the measured spectra at small atmospheric depths ranging from 5 through 37 g/cm2. The uncertainties including statistical and systematic errors of the obtained spectra at the top of atmosphere are 5–7% for protons and 6–9% for helium nuclei in the energy range 0.5–5 GeV/n.