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Title: Depth of maximum of air-shower profiles at the Pierre Auger Observatory. I. Measurements at energies above $$10^{17.8}$$ eV

Journal Article · · Physical Review. D, Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
 [1]
  1. Univ. of Siegen (Germany). et al.

We report a study of the distributions of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of extensive air-shower profiles with energies above 1017.8 eV as observed with the fluorescence telescopes of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The analysis method for selecting a data sample with minimal sampling bias is described in detail as well as the experimental cross-checks and systematic uncertainties. Furthermore, we discuss the detector acceptance and the resolution of the Xmax measurement and provide parametrizations thereof as a function of energy. Finally, the energy dependence of the mean and standard deviation of the Xmax distributions are compared to air-shower simulations for different nuclear primaries and interpreted in terms of the mean and variance of the logarithmic mass distribution at the top of the atmosphere.

Research Organization:
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP) (SC-25)
Contributing Organization:
Pierre Auger Collaboration
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-07CH11359
OSTI ID:
1234846
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-PUB--14-348-AD-AE-CD-TD; arXiv eprint number arXiv:1409.4809
Journal Information:
Physical Review. D, Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 90; ISSN 1550-7998
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cosmic-Ray and Neutrino Emission from Gamma-Ray Bursts with a Nuclear Cascade text January 2017
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