Air Showers of Size Greater than 105 Particles: (2) Cerenkov Radiation Accompanying the Showers

Journal Article · Sat Oct 11 04:00:00 EDT 1958 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/182973a0· OSTI ID:4288105

BRENNAN, M. H.; MALOS, J.; MILLAR, D. D.; WALLACE, C. S.

The feasibility of detecting the Cherenkov pulse associated with an air shower against the background of night sky luminosity is discussed. Results are reported from a series of experiments undentaken to investigate quantitatively the dependence of the Cherenkov light pulse on shower size, and distance of the light receiver from the shower axis. Results indicate that in the interpretation of the light puhses associated with the extensive air showers, it is not justifiable to ignore the angular distribution of the air shower particles and the consequent angular distribution of the emitted photons. As a device for the investigation of possible anisotropies in the directions of arrival of the air shower primaries, the Cherenkov detector pointed to the zenith in conjunction with a particle-detecting array will accept showers within an acceptance cone of half-angle appreciably wider than the half-angle of the detector itself. It is concluded that further investigation is required before one can hope to use the Cherenkov emission from air showers as a means of investigating their longitudinal development of other workers at somewhat higher densities. It is shown that the hodoscope method is not valid for determination of the distribution over a range of density and that the deduction by Broadbent et al. of a constant exponent over a wide range of density is erroneous. Good agreement for the absolute rate is obtained from the results of many workers when these are suitably reduced to a common basis as regards range of density, altitude and counter tray separation, the rate quoted being for sealevel and 5 meters separation between trays.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Sydney
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-13-000856
• OSTI ID: 4288105
• Journal Information: Nature (London), Journal Name: Nature (London) Journal Issue: 4641 Vol. 182; ISSN 0028-0836
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
AIR
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
ANISOTROPY
CHERENKOV RADIATION
COSMIC RADIATION
LIGHT
RADIATION DETECTORS
SCATTERING
SHOWERS