The PAMELA experiment: light-nuclei selection with stand-alone detectors

Launched on the 15th of June 2006, the space experiment PAMELA is providing data showing interesting features in cosmic rays that might change our basic vision of the mechanisms of production, acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy. In addition, PAMELA measurements of cosmic antiproton and positron fluxes are setting strong constraints to the nature of Dark Matter. PAMELA is also testing cosmic rays acceleration and propagation models through precise measurements of light nuclei and their isotopes. The determination of fluxes and secondary-to-primary ratios is possible for nuclei up to Oxygen in the energy range 200MeV/n - 150 GeV/n. To investigate this important item, PAMELA can use measurements from three main detectors: the magnetic spectrometer, the calorimeter and the Time-of-Flight system. Analysis strategy and performance for nuclei studies using the detectors in stand-alone configuration will be discussed in this work.