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Title: Electromagnetic showers in transparent media and the Faraday effect

Journal Article · · Hadronic Journal; (United States)
OSTI ID:5152364

The interaction of high energy photons (or electrons) with matter gives rise to the phenomenon of multiplicative showers, used in the detectors called electromagnetic calorimeters to measure through complete absorption the energy of an incident particle. Cherenkov electromagnetic calorimeters measure the incident energy by means of the yield of Cherenkov light from the charged secondary particles in the shower. These detectors, widely used in high energy physics, provide in modern apparata a precise measurement of energy and position of the photons or electrons produced in the interaction. A detailed simulation of the development of electromagnetic showers and of the Cherenkov light propagation predicts an increase of the signal for lead-glass Cherenkov calorimeters in the presence of strong external magnetic fields. This increase is related to the Faraday effect on Cherenkov light, and can become sizeable in experimental conditions such as the typical ones in high energy physics.

OSTI ID:
5152364
Journal Information:
Hadronic Journal; (United States), Vol. 14:2; ISSN 0162-5519
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English