No Arabic abstract
Evidence of azimuthal asymmetries in the time structure and signal size has been found in non-vertical showers as a function of zenith angle. These asymmetries arise because of the different paths traveled by particles in the upper and lower sides of the plane perpendicular to the shower axis to reach detectors at the same axial distances. The shower particles are differentially attenuated as they traverse the atmosphere. Furthermore, most particles are not propagating strictly in the shower direction but are on average going away from the axis. This geometrical projection effect also contributes to the final asymmetry. These novel observations must be understood for parameterisation of the lateral distribution function. Additionally, the asymmetry in time distributions offers a new possibility for the determination of the mass composition because its magnitude is strongly dependent on the fraction of electromagnetic signal at the observation level. The asymmetries found in data collected from the Engineering Array of the Auger Observatory will be compared with Monte Carlo data.
Cosmic-ray muons and especially their secondaries break apart nuclei (spallation) and produce fast neutrons and beta-decay isotopes, which are backgrounds for low-energy experiments. In Super-Kamiokande, these beta decays are the dominant background in 6--18 MeV, relevant for solar neutrinos and the diffuse supernova neutrino background. In a previous paper, we showed that these spallation isotopes are produced primarily in showers, instead of in isolation. This explains an empirical spatial correlation between a peak in the muon Cherenkov light profile and the spallation decay, which Super-Kamiokande used to develop a new spallation cut. However, the muon light profiles that Super-Kamiokande measured are grossly inconsistent with shower physics. We show how to resolve this discrepancy and how to reconstruct accurate profiles of muons and their showers from their Cherenkov light. We propose a new spallation cut based on these improved profiles and quantify its effects. Our results can significantly benefit low-energy studies in Super-Kamiokande, and will be especially important for detectors at shallower depths, like the proposed Hyper-Kamiokande.
We have detected Cherenkov light from air showers with Geiger-mode APDs (G-APDs). G-APDs are novel semiconductor photon-detectors, which offer several advantages compared to conventional photomultiplier tubes in the field of ground-based gamma-ray astronomy. In a field test with the MAGIC telescope we have tested the efficiency of a G-APD / light catcher setup to detect Cherenkov light from air showers. We estimate a detection efficiency, which is 60% higher than the efficiency of a MAGIC camera pixel. Ambient temperature dark count rates of the tested G-APDs are below the rates of the night sky light background. According to these recent tests G-APDs promise a major progress in ground-based gamma-ray astronomy.
Cerenkov Telescopes and Scintillators set on a Crown-like arrays facing the Horizons may reveal far Cosmic Rays Showers, nearer Anti-Neutrino-Electron + Electron --> W- shower in air and upgoing Tau Neutrino + N--> tau + X, --> Shower, Earth-Skimming tau air-showers. Even UHE SUSY Chi + e--> Selectron--> Chi + e at tens PeVs-EeV energy may blaze at Horizons, as anti-neutrino electron at Glashow peak - Burst shower. We show first estimate on down and up-going Horizontal Showers traces for present and future Magic-like Crown Arrays and their correlated Scintillator-like twin Crown Arrays. The one mono or stereo-Magic elements facing the Horizons are already comparable to present Amanda underground neutrino detector.
In terms of the quark-gluon string model the analysis of the classic procedure to estimate the energy of giant air showers with help of the parameter s(600) (a density of energy deposition in the scintillator at a distance of 600 m from the shower core) have been carried out. Simulations of the signal s(600) with help of the CORSIKA code in terms of the hybrid scheme show energy estimates which are approximately a factor of 1.6 times lower than adopted at the Yakutsk array. The energy estimates calculated with the help of the Cherenkov radiation coincide with the experimental data. Simulations of deposited energy distributions in the atmosphere with help of the GEANT4 code and the CORSIKA code show that more than 20% of this energy may be deposited at distances above 100 m from the shower axis.
Future detection of Extensive Air Showers (EAS) produced by Ultra High Energy Cosmic Particles (UHECP) by means of space based fluorescence telescopes will open a new window on the universe and allow cosmic ray and neutrino astronomy at a level that is virtually impossible for ground based detectors. In this paper we summarize the results obtained in the context of the EUSO project by means of a detailed Monte Carlo simulation of all the physical processes involved in the fluorescence technique, from the Extensive Air Shower development to the instrument response. Particular emphasis is given to modeling the light propagation in the atmosphere and the effect of clouds. Main results on energy threshold and resolution, direction resolution and Xmax determination are reported. Results are based on EUSO telescope design, but are also extended to larger and more sensitive detectors.