TY - GEN
T1 - A new physical phenomenon in ultra-high energy collisions
AU - Farrar, Glennys R.
AU - Allen, Jeffrey D.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - We show that combining the published Pierre Auger Observatory measurements of the longitudinal and lateral properties of UHE atmospheric showers, points to an unforeseen change in the nature of particle interactions at ultrahigh energy. A "toy model" of UHE proton-air interactions is presented which provides the first fully consistent description of air shower observations. It demonstrates that the observed energy dependence of the depth-of-shower-maximum distribution may not indicate a transition to a heavier composition, as commonly assumed. While fundamentally phenomenological, the model is based on considerations of how the normal vacuum of QCD might be vaporized and chiral symmetry restored by the extreme energy densities produced in UHE collisions. Whatever its origin, understanding this unexpected phenomenon opens exciting directions in particle physics and may impact Early Universe cosmology.
AB - We show that combining the published Pierre Auger Observatory measurements of the longitudinal and lateral properties of UHE atmospheric showers, points to an unforeseen change in the nature of particle interactions at ultrahigh energy. A "toy model" of UHE proton-air interactions is presented which provides the first fully consistent description of air shower observations. It demonstrates that the observed energy dependence of the depth-of-shower-maximum distribution may not indicate a transition to a heavier composition, as commonly assumed. While fundamentally phenomenological, the model is based on considerations of how the normal vacuum of QCD might be vaporized and chiral symmetry restored by the extreme energy densities produced in UHE collisions. Whatever its origin, understanding this unexpected phenomenon opens exciting directions in particle physics and may impact Early Universe cosmology.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84883786718&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84883786718&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1051/epjconf/20135307007
DO - 10.1051/epjconf/20135307007
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84883786718
SN - 9782759810253
SN - 9782759810260
T3 - EPJ Web of Conferences
BT - UHECR 2012 - International Symposium on Future Directions in UHECR Physics
T2 - 2012 International Symposium on Future Directions in Ultra High Energy Cosmic Ray Physics, UHECR 2012
Y2 - 13 February 2012 through 16 February 2012
ER -