Depth of shower maximum and mass composition of cosmic rays from 50 PeV to 2 EeV measured with the LOFAR radio telescope
| Autor: | G. K. Krampah, G. Trinh, Tobias Winchen, Brian Hare, S. ter Veen, Pragati Mitra, Arthur Corstanje, Anna Nelles, Stijn Buitink, Katie Mulrey, Heino Falcke, H. Pandya, Jörg P. Rachen, J. R. Hörandel, Satyendra Thoudam, T. Huege, Olaf Scholten |
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| Přispěvatelé: | Astronomy, Physics, Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences |
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
mass spectrum [cosmic radiation]
air Astronomy Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Hadron FOS: Physical sciences Cosmic ray helium Astrophysics 01 natural sciences High Energy Physics - Experiment Radio telescope High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex) 0103 physical sciences ddc:530 010306 general physics Line (formation) astro-ph.HE High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) Experiments in gravity cosmology cosmic rays Physics Pierre Auger Observatory hep-ex 010308 nuclear & particles physics model [interaction] nucleus Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics parametrization LOFAR tension Auger observatory detector [radio wave] Air shower 13. Climate action hadronic [model] galaxy Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena statistical Energy (signal processing) atmosphere [showers] |
| Zdroj: | Physical Review D, 103, 1-17 Physical review / D 103(10), 102006 (2021). doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.103.102006 Physical Review D, 103, 10, pp. 1-17 Physical Review. B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 103:102006. AMER PHYSICAL SOC |
| ISSN: | 1550-235X 0163-1829 2470-0010 1550-7998 |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevD.103.102006 |
| Popis: | We present an updated cosmic-ray mass composition analysis in the energy range $10^{16.8}$ to $10^{18.3}$ eV from 334 air showers measured with the LOFAR radio telescope, and selected for minimal bias. In this energy range, the origin of cosmic rays is expected to shift from galactic to extragalactic sources. The analysis is based on an improved method to infer the depth of maximum $X_{\rm max}$ of extensive air showers from radio measurements and air shower simulations. We show results of the average and standard deviation of $X_{\rm max}$ versus primary energy, and analyze the $X_{\rm max}$-dataset at distribution level to estimate the cosmic ray mass composition. Our approach uses an unbinned maximum likelihood analysis, making use of existing parametrizations of $X_{\rm max}$-distributions per element. The analysis has been repeated for three main models of hadronic interactions. Results are consistent with a significant light-mass fraction, at best fit $23$ to $39$ $\%$ protons plus helium, depending on the choice of hadronic interaction model. The fraction of intermediate-mass nuclei dominates. This confirms earlier results from LOFAR, with systematic uncertainties on $X_{\rm max}$ now lowered to 7 to $9$ $\mathrm{g/cm^2}$. We find agreement in mass composition compared to results from Pierre Auger Observatory, within statistical and systematic uncertainties. However, in line with earlier LOFAR results, we find a slightly lower average $X_{\rm max}$. The values are in tension with those found at Pierre Auger Observatory, but agree with results from other cosmic ray observatories based in the Northern hemisphere. 24 pages, 14 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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