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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

Abstract

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.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Univ. of Siegen (Germany). et al.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
Contributing Org.:
Pierre Auger Collaboration
OSTI Identifier:
1234846
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1214419
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-PUB-14-348-AD-AE-CD-TD
Journal ID: ISSN 1550-7998; arXiv eprint number arXiv:1409.4809
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-07CH11359; FR02-04ER41300; FG02-99ER41107
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review. D, Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 90; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1550-7998
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

Citation Formats

Aab, Alexander. Depth of maximum of air-shower profiles at the Pierre Auger Observatory. I. Measurements at energies above $10^{17.8}$ eV. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.90.122005.
Aab, Alexander. Depth of maximum of air-shower profiles at the Pierre Auger Observatory. I. Measurements at energies above $10^{17.8}$ eV. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.90.122005
Aab, Alexander. 2014. "Depth of maximum of air-shower profiles at the Pierre Auger Observatory. I. Measurements at energies above $10^{17.8}$ eV". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.90.122005. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1234846.
@article{osti_1234846,
title = {Depth of maximum of air-shower profiles at the Pierre Auger Observatory. I. Measurements at energies above $10^{17.8}$ eV},
author = {Aab, Alexander},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevD.90.122005},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1234846}, journal = {Physical Review. D, Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology},
issn = {1550-7998},
number = 12,
volume = 90,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Wed Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}

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Cited by: 190 works
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