Inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 EeV using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory

We present a new method for probing the hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energy and extracting details about mass composition. This is done using the time profiles of the signals recorded with the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The profiles arise from a mix of the...

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Publicado: 2017
Acceso en línea:https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_24700010_v96_n12_p_Aab
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_24700010_v96_n12_p_Aab
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Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA) de Universidad de Buenos Aires
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spelling paper:paper_24700010_v96_n12_p_Aab2023-06-08T16:36:33Z Inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 EeV using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory We present a new method for probing the hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energy and extracting details about mass composition. This is done using the time profiles of the signals recorded with the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The profiles arise from a mix of the muon and electromagnetic components of air showers. Using the risetimes of the recorded signals, we define a new parameter, which we use to compare our observations with predictions from simulations. We find, first, inconsistencies between our data and predictions over a greater energy range and with substantially more events than in previous studies. Second, by calibrating the new parameter with fluorescence measurements from observations made at the Auger Observatory, we can infer the depth of shower maximum Xmax for a sample of over 81,000 events extending from 0.3 to over 100 EeV. Above 30 EeV, the sample is nearly 14 times larger than what is currently available from fluorescence measurements and extending the covered energy range by half a decade. The energy dependence of ?Xmaxcopyright is compared to simulations and interpreted in terms of the mean of the logarithmic mass. We find good agreement with previous work and extend the measurement of the mean depth of shower maximum to greater energies than before, reducing significantly the statistical uncertainty associated with the inferences about mass composition. © 2017 American Physical Society. 2017 https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_24700010_v96_n12_p_Aab http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_24700010_v96_n12_p_Aab
institution Universidad de Buenos Aires
institution_str I-28
repository_str R-134
collection Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
description We present a new method for probing the hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energy and extracting details about mass composition. This is done using the time profiles of the signals recorded with the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The profiles arise from a mix of the muon and electromagnetic components of air showers. Using the risetimes of the recorded signals, we define a new parameter, which we use to compare our observations with predictions from simulations. We find, first, inconsistencies between our data and predictions over a greater energy range and with substantially more events than in previous studies. Second, by calibrating the new parameter with fluorescence measurements from observations made at the Auger Observatory, we can infer the depth of shower maximum Xmax for a sample of over 81,000 events extending from 0.3 to over 100 EeV. Above 30 EeV, the sample is nearly 14 times larger than what is currently available from fluorescence measurements and extending the covered energy range by half a decade. The energy dependence of ?Xmaxcopyright is compared to simulations and interpreted in terms of the mean of the logarithmic mass. We find good agreement with previous work and extend the measurement of the mean depth of shower maximum to greater energies than before, reducing significantly the statistical uncertainty associated with the inferences about mass composition. © 2017 American Physical Society.
title Inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 EeV using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory
spellingShingle Inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 EeV using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory
title_short Inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 EeV using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory
title_full Inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 EeV using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory
title_fullStr Inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 EeV using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory
title_full_unstemmed Inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 EeV using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory
title_sort inferences on mass composition and tests of hadronic interactions from 0.3 to 100 eev using the water-cherenkov detectors of the pierre auger observatory
publishDate 2017
url https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_24700010_v96_n12_p_Aab
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_24700010_v96_n12_p_Aab
_version_ 1768542385120215040

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