Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8132730 | Astroparticle Physics | 2018 | 14 Pages |
Abstract
The composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays is still poorly known and constitutes a very important topic in the field of high-energy astrophysics. Detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays is carried out via the extensive air showers they create after interacting with the atmosphere constituents. The secondary electrons and positrons within the showers emit a detectable electric field in the kHz-GHz range. It is possible to use this radio signal for the estimation of the atmospheric depth of maximal development of the showers Xmax, with a good accuracy and a duty cycle close to 100%. This value of Xmax is strongly correlated to the nature of the primary cosmic ray that initiated the shower. We show in this paper the importance of using a realistic atmospheric model in order to correct for systematic errors that can prevent a correct and unbiased estimation of Xmax.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Authors
F. Gaté, B. Revenu, D. GarcÃa-Fernández, V. Marin, R. Dallier, A. Escudié, L. Martin,