Muons in IceCube
arXiv:0902.0021 · doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysbps.2009.09.050
Abstract
The IceCube detector allows for the first time a measurement of atmospheric muon and neutrino energy spectra from tens of GeV up to the PeV range. The lepton flux in the highest energy region depends on both the primary cosmic ray composition around the "knee" and the contribution from prompt decays of mostly charmed hadrons produced in air showers. It is demonstrated here that a direct measurement of the atmospheric muon spectrum in the region above 100 TeV is feasible using data that is already available.
6 pages, 8 figures, To appear in the proceedings for the XV International Symposium on Very High Energy Cosmic Ray Interactions (ISVHECRI 2008), Paris, France, September 1-6, 2008