New High-Energy Cosmic-Ray Observatory (HERO) project for studying the high-energy primary cosmic-ray radiation

Proposal on high-power supply High-Energy cosmic-Ray Observatory (HERO) is considered. It is proposed to carry out long-term (>7 years) studies of the spectrum and charge composition of PCR nuclei up to E0∼1016 eV, the energy spectra of electrons at Ee=1011–1013 eV and diffusive γ-rays at Eγ<5⋅1012 eV. The HERO instrument is characterized by a geometrical factor of 6.0–9.0 m2sr depending on particle type; mass of ∼2800 kg; channel number of ∼8⋅105; power consumption of 16.5 kW. The device consists of (a) 3D image scintillator ionization calorimeter of 80-cm linear size, thickness of 22 X0 and 2.5 with an absorber from lead and admixture of Gd64; (b) multilayer silicon-microstrip track system; (c) multilayer silicon-pad charge detectors. Energy is measured by using (a) ionization and (b) neutron calorimetry techniques, (c) kinematics approach. The e±/γ-initiated cascades are selected by using neutron-yield counting and cascade-shape analysis approaches.