A precision measurement by AMS of the antiproton flux and the antiproton-to-proton flux ratio in primary cosmic rays in the absolute rigidity range from 1 to 450 GV is presented based on $3.49\times 10^5$ antiproton events and $2.42\times 10^9$ proton events. The fluxes and flux ratios of charged elementary particles in cosmic rays are also presented. In the absolute rigidity range $\sim 60$ to $\sim 500\mathrm{GV}$, the antiproton $\overline{p}$, proton $p$, and positron $e^{+}$ fluxes are found to have nearly identical rigidity dependence and the electron $e^{-}$ flux exhibits a different rigidity dependence. Below 60 GV, the ($\overline{p}/p$), ($\overline{p}/e^{+}$), and ($p/e^{+}$) flux ratios each reaches a maximum. From $\sim 60$ to $\sim 500\mathrm{GV}$, the ($\overline{p}/p$), ($\overline{p}/e^{+}$), and ($p/e^{+}$) flux ratios show no rigidity dependence. These are new observations of the properties of elementary particles in the cosmos.

Knowledge of the precise rigidity dependence of the helium flux is important in understanding the origin, acceleration, and propagation of cosmic rays. A precise measurement of the helium flux in primary cosmic rays with rigidity (momentum/charge) from 1.9 GV to 3 TV based on 50 million events is presented and compared to the proton flux. The detailed variation with rigidity of the helium flux spectral index is presented for the first time. The spectral index progressively hardens at rigidities larger than 100 GV. The rigidity dependence of the helium flux spectral index is similar to that of the proton spectral index though the magnitudes are different. Remarkably, the spectral index of the proton to helium flux ratio increases with rigidity up to 45 GV and then becomes constant; the flux ratio above 45 GV is well described by a single power law.

Knowledge of the rigidity dependence of the boron to carbon flux ratio (B/C) is important in understanding the propagation of cosmic rays. The precise measurement of the $\mathrm{B}/\mathrm{C}$ ratio from 1.9 GV to 2.6 TV, based on 2.3 million boron and 8.3 million carbon nuclei collected by AMS during the first 5 years of operation, is presented. The detailed variation with rigidity of the $\mathrm{B}/\mathrm{C}$ spectral index is reported for the first time. The $\mathrm{B}/\mathrm{C}$ ratio does not show any significant structures in contrast to many cosmic ray models that require such structures at high rigidities. Remarkably, above 65 GV, the $\mathrm{B}/\mathrm{C}$ ratio is well described by a single power law $R^{\mathrm{\Delta }}$ with index $\mathrm{\Delta }=-0.333\pm 0.014(\text{fit})\pm 0.005(\text{syst})$, in good agreement with the Kolmogorov theory of turbulence which predicts $\mathrm{\Delta }=-1/3$ asymptotically.

Precision measurements of the positron component in the cosmic radiation provide important information about the propagation of cosmic rays and the nature of particle sources in our Galaxy. The satellite-borne experiment PAMELA has been used to make a new measurement of the cosmic-ray positron flux and fraction that extends previously published measurements up to 300 GeV in kinetic energy. The combined measurements of the cosmic-ray positron energy spectrum and fraction provide a unique tool to constrain interpretation models. During the recent solar minimum activity period from July 2006 to December 2009, approximately 24 500 positrons were observed. The results cannot be easily reconciled with purely secondary production, and additional sources of either astrophysical or exotic origin may be required.

We report the observation of new properties of primary cosmic rays He, C, and O measured in the rigidity (momentum/charge) range 2 GV to 3 TV with $90\times {10}^6$ helium, $8.4\times {10}^6$ carbon, and $7.0\times {10}^6$ oxygen nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) during the first five years of operation. Above 60 GV, these three spectra have identical rigidity dependence. They all deviate from a single power law above 200 GV and harden in an identical way.