The EAS size spectrum and the cosmic ray energy spectrum in the region 1015-1016 eV

M. Aglietta; B. Alessandro; P. Antonioli; F. Arneodo; L. Bergamasco; M. Bertaina; C. Castagnoli; A. Castellina; A. Chiavassa; G. Cini Castagnoli; B. D.Ettorre Piazzoli; G. Di Sciascio; W. Fulgione; P. Galeotti; P. L. Ghia; M. Iacovacci; G. Mannocchi; C. Morello; G. Navarra; O. Saavedra; G. C. Trinchero; P. Vallania; S. Vernetto; C. Vigorito

doi:10.1016/S0927-6505(98)00035-8

The EAS size spectrum and the cosmic ray energy spectrum in the region 10¹⁵-10¹⁶ eV

M. Aglietta, B. Alessandro, P. Antonioli, F. Arneodo, L. Bergamasco, M. Bertaina, C. Castagnoli, A. Castellina, A. Chiavassa, G. Cini Castagnoli, B. D.Ettorre Piazzoli, G. Di Sciascio, W. Fulgione, P. Galeotti, P. L. Ghia, M. Iacovacci, G. Mannocchi, C. Morello, G. Navarra, O. SaavedraG. C. Trinchero, P. Vallania, S. Vernetto, C. Vigorito

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The cosmic ray energy spectrum in the range E₀ = 10¹⁵-10¹⁶ eV (including the region of the steepening, "knee") is studied by means of the EAS-TOP array (Campo Imperatore, Gran Sasso Laboratories, atmospheric depth 820 g cm^-2). Measurements of the electromagnetic size (N_e = total number of charged particles at the observation level) are performed as a function of zenith angle with statistical accuracies of a few percent. The change of slope of the spectrum is observed in each bin of zenith angle at size values decreasing with increasing atmospheric depth. Its attenuation is compatible with the one of shower particles (Λ_e = 219 ± 3 g cm^-2). This observation provides a consistency check, supporting a normal behaviour of showers at the break, that make plausible astrophysical interpretations based on an effect on primaries occurring at a given primary energy. The break has a "sharp" shape (i.e., within experimental errors is compatible with two intersecting power laws) that represents a constraint with which any interpretation has to match. The change of slope of the power law index reproducing the size spectrum is △γ = 0.40 ± 0.09. The derived all particle energy spectrum is in good agreement with the extrapolation of the direct measurements at low energies and with other EAS data at and above the knee. Power laws fits to the energy spectrum below and above the knee give (in units of m^-2 s^-1 sr^-1 TeV^-1) S(E₀) = (3.48 ± 0.06) × 10^-10(E₀/2300)^-2.76±0.03 for 900 TeV < E₀ < 2300 TeV and S(E₀) = (3.77 ± 0.08) × 10^-11(E₀/5000)^-3.19±0.06 for 5000 TeV < E₀ < 10⁴ TeV. The systematic uncertainties connected to the interaction model and the primary composition are discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	Astroparticle Physics
Volume	10
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-6505(98)00035-8
State	Published - Jan 1999

Keywords

Cosmic rays
EASTOP
Extensive air shower
Spectrum

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Access to Document

10.1016/S0927-6505(98)00035-8

Cite this

Aglietta, M., Alessandro, B., Antonioli, P., Arneodo, F., Bergamasco, L., Bertaina, M., Castagnoli, C., Castellina, A., Chiavassa, A., Castagnoli, G. C., Piazzoli, B. D. E., Di Sciascio, G., Fulgione, W., Galeotti, P., Ghia, P. L., Iacovacci, M., Mannocchi, G., Morello, C., Navarra, G., ... Vigorito, C. (1999). The EAS size spectrum and the cosmic ray energy spectrum in the region 10¹⁵-10¹⁶ eV. Astroparticle Physics, 10(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-6505(98)00035-8

Aglietta, M, Alessandro, B, Antonioli, P, Arneodo, F, Bergamasco, L, Bertaina, M, Castagnoli, C, Castellina, A, Chiavassa, A, Castagnoli, GC, Piazzoli, BDE, Di Sciascio, G, Fulgione, W, Galeotti, P, Ghia, PL, Iacovacci, M, Mannocchi, G, Morello, C, Navarra, G, Saavedra, O, Trinchero, GC, Vallania, P, Vernetto, S & Vigorito, C 1999, 'The EAS size spectrum and the cosmic ray energy spectrum in the region 10¹⁵-10¹⁶ eV', Astroparticle Physics, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-6505(98)00035-8

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title = "The EAS size spectrum and the cosmic ray energy spectrum in the region 1015-1016 eV",

abstract = "The cosmic ray energy spectrum in the range E0 = 1015-1016 eV (including the region of the steepening, {"}knee{"}) is studied by means of the EAS-TOP array (Campo Imperatore, Gran Sasso Laboratories, atmospheric depth 820 g cm-2). Measurements of the electromagnetic size (Ne = total number of charged particles at the observation level) are performed as a function of zenith angle with statistical accuracies of a few percent. The change of slope of the spectrum is observed in each bin of zenith angle at size values decreasing with increasing atmospheric depth. Its attenuation is compatible with the one of shower particles (Λe = 219 ± 3 g cm-2). This observation provides a consistency check, supporting a normal behaviour of showers at the break, that make plausible astrophysical interpretations based on an effect on primaries occurring at a given primary energy. The break has a {"}sharp{"} shape (i.e., within experimental errors is compatible with two intersecting power laws) that represents a constraint with which any interpretation has to match. The change of slope of the power law index reproducing the size spectrum is △γ = 0.40 ± 0.09. The derived all particle energy spectrum is in good agreement with the extrapolation of the direct measurements at low energies and with other EAS data at and above the knee. Power laws fits to the energy spectrum below and above the knee give (in units of m-2 s-1 sr-1 TeV-1) S(E0) = (3.48 ± 0.06) × 10-10(E0/2300)-2.76±0.03 for 900 TeV < E0 < 2300 TeV and S(E0) = (3.77 ± 0.08) × 10-11(E0/5000)-3.19±0.06 for 5000 TeV < E0 < 104 TeV. The systematic uncertainties connected to the interaction model and the primary composition are discussed.",

keywords = "Cosmic rays, EASTOP, Extensive air shower, Spectrum",

author = "M. Aglietta and B. Alessandro and P. Antonioli and F. Arneodo and L. Bergamasco and M. Bertaina and C. Castagnoli and A. Castellina and A. Chiavassa and Castagnoli, {G. Cini} and Piazzoli, {B. D.Ettorre} and {Di Sciascio}, G. and W. Fulgione and P. Galeotti and Ghia, {P. L.} and M. Iacovacci and G. Mannocchi and C. Morello and G. Navarra and O. Saavedra and Trinchero, {G. C.} and P. Vallania and S. Vernetto and C. Vigorito",

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T1 - The EAS size spectrum and the cosmic ray energy spectrum in the region 1015-1016 eV

AU - Aglietta, M.

AU - Alessandro, B.

AU - Antonioli, P.

AU - Arneodo, F.

AU - Bergamasco, L.

AU - Bertaina, M.

AU - Castagnoli, C.

AU - Castellina, A.

AU - Chiavassa, A.

AU - Castagnoli, G. Cini

AU - Piazzoli, B. D.Ettorre

AU - Di Sciascio, G.

AU - Fulgione, W.

AU - Galeotti, P.

AU - Ghia, P. L.

AU - Iacovacci, M.

AU - Mannocchi, G.

AU - Morello, C.

AU - Navarra, G.

AU - Saavedra, O.

AU - Trinchero, G. C.

AU - Vallania, P.

AU - Vernetto, S.

AU - Vigorito, C.

PY - 1999/1

Y1 - 1999/1

N2 - The cosmic ray energy spectrum in the range E0 = 1015-1016 eV (including the region of the steepening, "knee") is studied by means of the EAS-TOP array (Campo Imperatore, Gran Sasso Laboratories, atmospheric depth 820 g cm-2). Measurements of the electromagnetic size (Ne = total number of charged particles at the observation level) are performed as a function of zenith angle with statistical accuracies of a few percent. The change of slope of the spectrum is observed in each bin of zenith angle at size values decreasing with increasing atmospheric depth. Its attenuation is compatible with the one of shower particles (Λe = 219 ± 3 g cm-2). This observation provides a consistency check, supporting a normal behaviour of showers at the break, that make plausible astrophysical interpretations based on an effect on primaries occurring at a given primary energy. The break has a "sharp" shape (i.e., within experimental errors is compatible with two intersecting power laws) that represents a constraint with which any interpretation has to match. The change of slope of the power law index reproducing the size spectrum is △γ = 0.40 ± 0.09. The derived all particle energy spectrum is in good agreement with the extrapolation of the direct measurements at low energies and with other EAS data at and above the knee. Power laws fits to the energy spectrum below and above the knee give (in units of m-2 s-1 sr-1 TeV-1) S(E0) = (3.48 ± 0.06) × 10-10(E0/2300)-2.76±0.03 for 900 TeV < E0 < 2300 TeV and S(E0) = (3.77 ± 0.08) × 10-11(E0/5000)-3.19±0.06 for 5000 TeV < E0 < 104 TeV. The systematic uncertainties connected to the interaction model and the primary composition are discussed.

AB - The cosmic ray energy spectrum in the range E0 = 1015-1016 eV (including the region of the steepening, "knee") is studied by means of the EAS-TOP array (Campo Imperatore, Gran Sasso Laboratories, atmospheric depth 820 g cm-2). Measurements of the electromagnetic size (Ne = total number of charged particles at the observation level) are performed as a function of zenith angle with statistical accuracies of a few percent. The change of slope of the spectrum is observed in each bin of zenith angle at size values decreasing with increasing atmospheric depth. Its attenuation is compatible with the one of shower particles (Λe = 219 ± 3 g cm-2). This observation provides a consistency check, supporting a normal behaviour of showers at the break, that make plausible astrophysical interpretations based on an effect on primaries occurring at a given primary energy. The break has a "sharp" shape (i.e., within experimental errors is compatible with two intersecting power laws) that represents a constraint with which any interpretation has to match. The change of slope of the power law index reproducing the size spectrum is △γ = 0.40 ± 0.09. The derived all particle energy spectrum is in good agreement with the extrapolation of the direct measurements at low energies and with other EAS data at and above the knee. Power laws fits to the energy spectrum below and above the knee give (in units of m-2 s-1 sr-1 TeV-1) S(E0) = (3.48 ± 0.06) × 10-10(E0/2300)-2.76±0.03 for 900 TeV < E0 < 2300 TeV and S(E0) = (3.77 ± 0.08) × 10-11(E0/5000)-3.19±0.06 for 5000 TeV < E0 < 104 TeV. The systematic uncertainties connected to the interaction model and the primary composition are discussed.

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