The science of PAMELA space mission

Abstract

Many different mechanisms can contribute to antiprotons and positrons production, ranging from conventional reactions up to exotic processes like neutralino annihilation. The open problems are so fundamental (i.e.: is the universe symmetric in matter and antimatter ?) that experiments in this field will probably be of the greatest interest in the next years. Here we will summarize the present situation, showing the different hypothesis and models and the experimental measurements needed to lead to a more established scenario.

8 pages, 7 figures, To be published in "12th Lomonosov Conference on Elementary Particle Physics" Moscow, August, 2005, World Scientific Publishing Co