This project will build and fly, over Antarctica, a balloon borne instrument to measure the isotopic abundance of cosmic rays with masses from neon through nickel. The origin and evolution of elements and isotopes remains one of the central problems of astrophysics. The data which this instrument will be used to investigate questions of cosmic ray origins and transport, and to look for effects of ongoing nucleosynthesis on the chemical composition of the galaxy. This project will be jointly supported by NSF's Division of Polar Programs and Physics and NASA's Space Physics Division. NSF will provide logistical support in Antarctica and NASA will provide balloon launch services.
