Research
Dr. Webber's research is focused on high energy cosmic ray physics. He is
directly involved with cosmic ray experiments on both the Pioneer 10 and
Voyager 1 & 2 spacecraft. These spacecraft are the first manmade objects to
leave the solar system. Dr. Webber has a wide range of interests, including
studies of cosmic rays in the heliosphere using the Pioneer and Voyager
spacecraft, H and He isotope studies and anti-proton measurements - I MAX
balloon experiment, measurements of nuclear cross sections using liquid H
targets at the SATURNE accelerator in France for Big Bang nucleosynthesis,
Monte-Carlo simulations of cosmic ray nucleons and electrons in the Milky Way,
studies of cosmic ray elemental and isotopic composition on Voyager, the
Gamma-Ray Distribution in the Milky Way, and Gamma Ray Bursts. Dr. Webber is
retired, but he remains a prolific researcher and continues to publish several
scientific papers per year.
Currently Dr. Webber is working with Voyager I data in a search for the "solar
shock", where the sun's solar wind slams into the interstellar gas between the
stars.
Selected Publications...
The Disappearance of Anomalous Protons at Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in the Outer Heliosphere between 1998 and 2002
Webber, W.R., McDonald, F.B., Cummings, A.C., Stone, E.C., Heikkila, B., & Lal, N.
2006, JGR, 111, A08107
Large Global Transient Decreases of >70 MeV Cosmic Rays Observed at Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in the Outer Heliosphere in 2001-2003: The Onset of Heliospheric 2-3 kHz Radio Emission and the Distance to the Heliopause
Webber, W.R., & Lockwood, J.A. 2005, JGR, 109, A06107
Updated Formula for Calculating Partial Cross Sections for Nuclear Reactions of Nuclei with Z <= 28 and E > 150 MeV/Nucleon in Hydrogen Targets
Webber, W.R., Soutoul, A., Kish, J.C., & Rockstroh, J.M. 2003, ApJS, 144, 153
Voyager Measurements of the Charge and Isotopic Composition of Cosmic Ray Li, Be, and B Nuclei and Implications for Their Production in the Galaxy
Webber, W.R., Lukasiak, A., & McDonald, F.B. 2002, ApJ, 568, 210
Interstellar Absorption of the Galactic Polar Low-Frequency Radio Background Synchrotron Spectrum as an Indicator of Clumpiness in the Warm Ionized Medium
Peterson, J.D., & Webber, W.R. 2002, ApJ, 575, 217
