Absolute measurement of the nitrogen fluorescence yield in air between 300 and 430 nm
arXiv:0704.1532 · doi:10.1016/j.nima.2007.04.106
Abstract
The nitrogen fluorescence induced in air is used to detect ultra-high energy cosmic rays and to measure their energy. The precise knowledge of the absolute fluorescence yield is the key quantity to improve the accuracy on the cosmic ray energy. The total yield has been measured in dry air using a 90Sr source and a [300-430 nm] filter. The fluorescence yield in air is 4.23 0.20 photons per meter when normalized to 760 mmHg, 15 degrees C and with an electron energy of 0.85 MeV. This result is consistent with previous experiments made at various energies, but with an accuracy improved by a factor of about 3. For the first time, the absolute continuous spectrum of nitrogen excited by 90Sr electrons has also been measured with a spectrometer. Details of this experiment are given in one of the author's PhD thesis [32].
arXiv commentaccepted for publication in NIMA
References in corpus (8)
- Extension of the Cosmic-Ray Energy Spectrum Beyond the Predicted Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuz'min Cutoff
- Energy determination in the Akeno Giant Air Shower Array experiment
- Measurement of the Flux of Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays from Monocular Observations by the High Resolution Fly's Eye Experiment
- New measurement on photon yields from air and the application to the energy estimation of primary cosmic rays
- Photon yields from nitrogen gas and dry air excited by electrons
- Measurement of Pressure Dependent Fluorescence Yield of Air: Calibration Factor for UHECR Detectors
- Impact of Varying Atmospheric Profiles on Extensive Air Shower Observation: Fluorescence Light Emission and Energy Reconstruction
- The yield of air fluorescence induced by electrons
Cited by in corpus (12)
- An evaluation of the exposure in nadir observation of the JEM-EUSO mission
- Air Fluorescence Relevant for Cosmic-Ray Detection - Summary of the 5th Fluorescence Workshop, El Escorial 2007
- Precise measurement of the absolute fluorescence yield of the 337 nm band in atmospheric gases
- Air fluorescence measurements in the spectral range 300-420 nm using a 28.5 GeV electron beam
- On the absolute value of the air-fluorescence yield
- Nitrogen fluorescence in air for observing extensive air showers
- Comparison of available measurements of the absolute fluorescence yield
- Improved model for the analysis of air fluorescence induced by electrons
- A setup for the precision measurement of multianode photomultiplier efficiency
- Measurement of the near-infrared fluorescence of the air for the detection of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays
- Measurement of air fluorescence light yield induced by an electromagnetic shower
- On the energy deposition by electrons in air and the accurate determination of the air-fluorescence yield