The absorption of γ, γ-families and hadrons in the atmosphere - EC data

The energy spectra ΣEγ, Eγ for γ-families and hadrons at the level of the Pamir (600 g/cm2) and Tien-Shan (685 g/cm2) mountains are compared. The ratio of event intensities permits to observe the absorption lengths for different types of events in X-ray emulsion chambers: single γ-quanta, hadrons, γ-families and super-families with halo. These values of λatt are much more than those determined from zenith angle distributions. Data from other EC experiments are used to decrease the errors in λatt. The absorption curves in the atmosphere were obtained for γ-families and γ-quanta by means of data compiled for different EC experiments at balloon, aeroplane and mountain heights. The absorption curves cannot be described as a simple exponential dependence in both cases.