PROPERTIES OF EAS

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · J. Phys. Soc. Japan

OSTI ID:4739561

Bennett, S; Delvaille, J; Greisen, K; Kendziorski, F

The rate of absorption of EAS as a function of size from N = 10/sup 4/ to N = 2 x 10/sup 9/ particles has been evaluated from measurements of the barometric coefficient and the zenith angle dependence of the shower frequency, and from a direct measurement of the average particle absorption coefficient. For 10/sup 4/ < N < 3 x 10/sup 6/ the particle absorption length is nearly constant, increasing slowly from about 180 to 220 g/cm/sup 2/, and reflecting the dominant influence of the nuclear cascade. For 10/sup 7/ < N < 10/sup 10/ the absorption coefficient decreases more rapidly with shower size, in agreement with a pure electronlc cascade model, and approaching zero at N approx equal 10/sup 10/. Temperature coefficients of the EAS have been measured and found to be inconstant. Results are also presented on the distribution of radius of curvature of the shower front. The average curvature at large distances from the axis corresponds to a radius of 2.8 km. A magnetic spectrometer has been applied to measure the muon spectrum as a function of distance from the shower axis. Graphs and equations are given for the muon density as a function of shower size, radius, and muon energy and for the muon spectrum integrated over the shower plane, as a function of N and E. The positive charge excess of muons of median energy 9 Bev in EAS has been measured and found to be practically zero. This result implies that production by the K mode is an order of magnitude less than by the pion mode, and that the normal muon charge excess is due entirely to proton excess in the primary cosmic rays. (auth)

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-013046
• OSTI ID: 4739561
• Journal Information: J. Phys. Soc. Japan, Journal Name: J. Phys. Soc. Japan Vol. Vol: 17: Suppl. A-III
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ABSORPTION
AIR
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
CASCADE SHOWERS
COSMIC RADIATION
DIAGRAMS
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRONS
ENERGY
ENERGY RANGE
EQUATIONS
FREQUENCY
KAONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MEASURED VALUES
MUONS
NUCLEI
PHOTONS
PHYSICS
PIONS
POSITRONS
PRODUCTION
PROTONS
SCATTERING
SHOWERS
SPECTRA
SPECTROMETERS
TEMPERATURE