Measuring the UHE cosmic-ray composition with tracking detectors in air shower arrays
arXiv:astro-ph/9605177 · doi:10.1016/0927-6505(96)00013-8
Abstract
Measuring the angles of muons and electrons in air showers is proposed as a method for studying the primary cosmic-ray mass composition near the knee of the cosmic-ray energy spectrum at a few eV. Conventional tracking detectors at existing air shower arrays could serve this purpose, like the CRT detectors at the HEGRA array. When the average radial muon angles are examined as a function of shower core distance, the experimental resolution can be very well calibrated from the tangential angle distribution. The method is particularly promising for measuring changes in the average mass number of the primary cosmic rays with energy. The method is described and experimental and theoretical constraints are discussed.
14 pages, 7 figures included. Accepted by Astroparticle Physics. This paper and descriptions of the CRT detectors are also available via http://eu6.mpi-hd.mpg.de/CRT/CRT-eprints.html
Cited by in corpus (6)
- Measurements of the Cosmic Ray Composition with Air Shower Experiments
- Changes of the cosmic-ray mass composition in the 10^{14} - 10^{16} eV energy range
- Energy Spectrum and Mass Composition around the Knee by EAS Measurements
- Methods of Determination of the Energy and Mass of Primary Cosmic Ray Particles at Extensive Air Shower Energies
- Features of Muon Arrival Time Distributions of High Energy EAS at Large Distances From the Shower Axis
- Properties of tangential and radial angles of muons in EAS