Cosmic-Ray Muon and Atmospheric Neutrino Fluxes at Very High Energies

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Physics of Atomic Nuclei

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/1.1825530· OSTI ID:20692685

Volkova, L V ^[1]

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1. Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Shestidesyatiletiya Oktyabrya 7a, Moscow, 117312 (Russian Federation)

Estimates of cosmic-ray muon and atmospheric neutrino fluxes at TeV energies are obtained taking into account a 'prompt' production of muons and neutrinos through charmed-particle decays and a 'direct' lepton-pair production through the Drell-Yan mechanism and resonances. It is found that the contribution of charmed particles to the muon flux is equal to that from the conventional sources (pion and kaon decays) at 60 TeV, and the same equality can take place at 10 and 1 TeV for muon and electron neutrinos, respectively (for particles coming to sea level in the vertical direction). This 'direct' production contribution to muon and neutrino fluxes is estimated very arbitrarily, but it cannot be excluded that this contribution is equal to that from the conventional source at energies of 0.5 and 0.05 PeV for muons and muon neutrinos, respectively. Currently, the estimates of the 'prompt' and the 'direct' contributions to cosmic-ray muons and atmospheric neutrinos are only qualitative. This is true especially for the 'direct' contribution. Nevertheless, it seems reasonable to attract attention to these potentially important sources of atmospheric muons and neutrinos.

• OSTI ID: 20692685
• Journal Information: Physics of Atomic Nuclei, Journal Name: Physics of Atomic Nuclei Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 67; ISSN 1063-7788; ISSN PANUEO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COSMIC MUONS
COSMIC NEUTRINOS
COSMIC RAY DETECTION
DRELL MODEL
ELECTRON NEUTRINOS
KAONS
MUON NEUTRINOS
PAIR PRODUCTION
PARTICLE DECAY
PEV RANGE
PIONS
TEV RANGE