0000000000705518
AUTHOR
Paolo Privitera
Deep-learning based reconstruction of the shower maximum X max using the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory
The atmospheric depth of the air shower maximum $X_{\mathrm{max}}$ is an observable commonly used for the determination of the nuclear mass composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. Direct measurements of $X_{\mathrm{max}}$ are performed using observations of the longitudinal shower development with fluorescence telescopes. At the same time, several methods have been proposed for an indirect estimation of $X_{\mathrm{max}}$ from the characteristics of the shower particles registered with surface detector arrays. In this paper, we present a deep neural network (DNN) for the estimation of $X_{\mathrm{max}}$. The reconstruction relies on the signals induced by shower particles in the groun…
Measurement of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays above 10^18 eV using the Pierre Auger Observatory
We report a measurement of the flux of cosmic rays with unprecedented precision and Statistics using the Pierre Auger Observatory Based on fluorescence observations in coincidence with at least one Surface detector we derive a spectrum for energies above 10(18) eV We also update the previously published energy spectrum obtained with the surface detector array The two spectra are combined addressing the systematic uncertainties and, in particular. the influence of the energy resolution on the spectral shape The spectrum can be described by a broken power law E-gamma with index gamma = 3 3 below the ankle which is measured at log(10)(E-ankle/eV) = 18 6 Above the ankle the spectrum is describe…
Rapidity correlations in Lambda baryon and proton production in hadronic Z0 decays
In an analysis of multihadronic events recorded at LEP by DELPHI in the years 1992 through 1994, charged hadrons are identified using the measurement of their energy loss and their Cherenkov angle. Rapidity correlations of \La-\La, proton-proton, and \La-proton pairs are compared. The agreement with the string and cluster fragmentation models is tested. For those pairs that frame a meson in terms of rapidity the compensation of strangeness is studied. For \La{}$\overline{\mathrm{p}}$ pairs the additional correlation with respect to charged kaons is analysed.
Measurement of trilinear gauge couplings in e(+)e(-) collisions at 161 GeV and 172 GeV
Trilinear gauge boson couplings are measured using data taken by DELPHI at 161 GeV and 172 GeV, Values for WWV couplings (V = Z,gamma) are determined from a study of the reactions e(+)e(-) --> W+W- and e(+)e(-) --> We nu, using differential distributions from the WW final state in which one W decays hadronically and the other leptonically, and total cross,section data from other channels, Limits are also derived on neutral ZV gamma couplings from an analysis of the reaction e(+)e(-) --> gamma + invisible particles. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.
Constraints on the origin of cosmic rays above 10^18 eV from large-scale anisotropy searches in data of the Pierre Auger Observatory
A thorough search for large-scale anisotropies in the distribution of arrival directions of cosmic rays detected above 10(18) eV at the Pierre Auger Observatory is reported. For the first time, these large-scale anisotropy searches are performed as a function of both the right ascension and the declination and expressed in terms of dipole and quadrupole moments. Within the systematic uncertainties, no significant deviation from isotropy is revealed. Upper limits on dipole and quadrupole amplitudes are derived under the hypothesis that any cosmic ray anisotropy is dominated by such moments in this energy range. These upper limits provide constraints on the production of cosmic rays above 10(…
Ultra-High Energy Neutrinos at the Pierre Auger Observatory
The observation of ultrahigh energy neutrinos (UHE nu s) has become a priority in experimental astroparticle physics. UHE nu s can be detected with a variety of techniques. In particular, neutrinos can interact in the atmosphere (downward-going nu) or in the Earth crust (Earth-skimming nu), producing air showers that can be observed with arrays of detectors at the ground. With the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory we can detect these types of cascades. The distinguishing signature for neutrino events is the presence of very inclined showers produced close to the ground (i.e., after having traversed a large amount of atmosphere). In this work we review the procedure and …
Tuning and test of fragmentation models based on identified particles and precision event shape data
Event shape and charged particle inclusive distributions are measured using 750000 decays of the $Z$ to hadrons from the DELPHI detector at LEP. These precise data allow a decisive confrontation with models of the hadronization process. Improved tunings of the JETSET ARIADNE and HERWIG parton shower models and the JETSET matrix element model are obtained by fitting the models to these DELPHI data as well as to identified particle distributions from all LEP experiments. The description of the data distributions by the models is critically reviewed with special importance attributed to identified particles.
Design, upgrade and characterization of the silicon photomultiplier front-end for the AMIGA detector at the Pierre Auger Observatory
The successful installation, commissioning, and operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory would not have been possible without the strong commitment and effort from the technical and administrative staff in Malargue. We are very grateful to the following agencies and organizations for financial support: Argentina -Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica; Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica (ANPCyT); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET); Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza; Municipalidad de Malargue; NDM Holdings and Valle Las Lenas; in gratitude for their continuing cooperation over land access; Australia -the Australian Research Council; Braz…
A 3-Year Sample of Almost 1,600 Elves Recorded Above South America by the Pierre Auger Cosmic-Ray Observatory
The time and location of the 1,598 verified and reconstructed elves, used for the analysis showcased in this paper, are publicly available on the website of the Pierre Auger Observatory (https://www.auger.org/ index.php/science/data). We wish to thank the World Wide Lightning Location Network (http://wwlln.net), a collaboration among over 50 universities and institutions, for providing the lightning location data used in this paper. We acknowledge Robert Marshall for providing one of the most advanced elve simulations to the public, a key tool in understanding the elves observed by the Pierre Auger Observatory. The successful installation, commissioning, and operation of the Pierre Auger Ob…
Measurements of the tau polarisation in Z0 decays
A sample of Z0→τ+τ- events observed in the DELPHI detector at LEP in 1991 and 1992 is analysed to measure the τ polarisation in the exclusive decay channels {Mathematical expression}, {Mathematical expression}, πν, ρν and a1ν. The τ polarisation is also measured with an inclusive hadronic analysis which benefits from a higher efficiency and a better systematic precision than the use of the exclusive decay modes. The results have been combined with those published on the 1990 data. A measurement of the τ polarisation as a function of production angle yields the values for the mean τ polarisation 〈P〉τ=-0.148±0.022 and for the Z0 polarisation PZ=-0.136±0.027. These results are used to determin…
Search for exclusive charmless b meson decays with the Delphi detector at Lep
Charmless hadronic decays of beauty mesons have been searched for using the data collected with the DELPHI detector at the LEP collider. Several two, three and four-body decay modes have been investigated. Particle identification was used to distinguish the final states with protons, kaons and pions. Three candidate events selected in two-body decay modes are interpreted as evidence for charmless B decays. No excess has been found in higher multiplicity modes and improved upper limits for some of the branching ratios are given. © 1995.
The Lateral Trigger Probability function for the Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Ray Showers detected by the Pierre Auger Observatory
In this paper we introduce the concept of Lateral Trigger Probability (LTP) function, i.e., the probability for an Extensive Air Shower (EAS) to trigger an individual detector of a ground based array as a function of distance to the shower axis, taking into account energy, mass and direction of the primary cosmic ray. We apply this concept to the surface array of the Pierre Auger Observatory consisting of a 1.5 km spaced grid of about 1600 water Cherenkov stations. Using Monte Carlo simulations of ultra-high energy showers the LTP functions are derived for energies in the range between 1017 and 1019 eV and zenith angles up to 65. A parametrization combining a step function with an exponenti…
Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering at the European Spallation Source
The European Spallation Source (ESS), presently well on its way to completion, will soon provide the most intense neutron beams for multi-disciplinary science. Fortuitously, it will also generate the largest pulsed neutrino flux suitable for the detection of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CE$\nu$NS), a process recently measured for the first time at ORNL's Spallation Neutron Source. We describe innovative detector technologies maximally able to profit from the order-of-magnitude increase in neutrino flux provided by the ESS, along with their sensitivity to a rich particle physics phenomenology accessible through high-statistics, precision CE$\nu$NS measurements.
Measurement of the inclusive charmless and double-charm B branching ratios
The DELPHI experiment at LEP has measured the inclusive charmless B hadron decay branching ratio, the B branching ratio into two charmed particles, and the total number of charmed particles per B decay, using the hadronic Z data taken between 1992 and 1995. The results are extracted from a fit to the b-tagging probability distribution based on the precise impact parameter measurements made using the microvertex detector. The inclusive charmless B branching ratio, including B decays into hidden charm (c (c) over bar), is measured to be 0.033 +/- 0.021. The B branching ratio into two open charmed particles is 0.136 +/- 0.042. The mean number of charmed particles per B decay (including hidden …
Techniques for measuring aerosol attenuation using the Central Laser Facility at the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory in Malargue, Argentina, is designed to study the properties of ultra-high energy cosmic rays with energies above 10(18) eV. It is a hybrid facility that employs a Fluorescence Detector to perform nearly calorimetric measurements of Extensive Air Shower energies. To obtain reliable calorimetric information from the FD, the atmospheric conditions at the observatory need to be continuously monitored during data acquisition. In particular, light attenuation due to aerosols is an important atmospheric correction. The aerosol concentration is highly variable, so that the aerosol attenuation needs to be evaluated hourly. We use light from the Central Laser Facility, lo…
First evidence for a charm radial excitation, D
Using D*+ mesons exclusively reconstructed in the DELPHI detector at LEP, an excess of 66 +/- 14(stat.) events is observed in the D(*+)pi(+)pi(-) final state with a mass of 2637 +/- 2(stat.) +/- 6(syst.) MeV/c(2) and a full width smaller than 15 MeV/c(2) (95% C.L.). This signal is compatible with the expected decay of a radially excited D*' (J(P) = 1(-))meson. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Identifying clouds over the Pierre Auger Observatory using infrared satellite data
We describe a new method of identifying night-time clouds over the Pierre Auger Observatory using infrared data from the Imager instruments on the GOES-12 and GOES-13 satellites. We compare cloud. identifications resulting from our method to those obtained by the Central Laser Facility of the Auger Observatory. Using our new method we can now develop cloud probability maps for the 3000 km(2) of the Pierre Auger Observatory twice per hour with a spatial resolution of similar to 2.4 km by similar to 5.5 km. Our method could also be applied to monitor cloud cover for other ground-based observatories and for space-based observatories. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
First measurement of f′2 (1525) production in Z0 hadronic decays
The inclusive production of the f(2)'(1525) in hadronic Z(0) decays has been studied in data collected by the DELPHI detector at LEP. The Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors were important tools in the identification of the decay f(2)'(1525) --> K+K-. The average number of f(2)(')(1525) produced per hadronic Z decay, [f(2)'] = 0.020 +/- 0.005 (stat) +/- 0.006 (syst), and the momentum distribution of the f(2)'(1525) have both been measured. The mass and width of the f(2)'(1525) are found to be [M(f2)'] = 1535 +/- 5 (stat) +/- 4 (syst) MeV/c(2). [Gamma(f2)'] = 60 +/- 20 (stat) +/- 19 (syst) MeV/c(2)
Energy dependence of inclusive spectra in e+ e- annihilation
Inclusive charged hadron distributions as obtained from the DELPHI measurements at 130, 136, 161, 172 and 183 GeV are presented as a function of the variables rapidity, xi(p), p and transversal momenta. Data are compared with event generators and with MLLA calculations, in order to examine the hypothesis of local parton hadron duality. The differential momentum spectra show an indication for coherence effects in the production of soft particles. The relation between the energy dependence of the charged multiplicity and the rapidity distribution is examined. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Limit on the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy tau neutrinos with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
Data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory are used to establish an upper limit on the diffuse flux of tau neutrinos in the cosmic radiation. Earth-skimming ντ may interact in the Earth's crust and produce a τ lepton by means of charged-current interactions. The τ lepton may emerge from the Earth and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a typical signature, a persistent electromagnetic component even at very large atmospheric depths. The search procedure to select events induced by τ decays against the background of normal showers induced by cosmic rays is described. The method used to compute the exposure for a detector continuously growing with time is de…
Probing the radio emission from air showers with polarization measurements
The emission of radio waves from air showers has been attributed to the so-called geomagnetic emission process. At frequencies around 50 MHz this process leads to coherent radiation which can be observed with rather simple setups. The direction of the electric field induced by this emission process depends only on the local magnetic field vector and on the incoming direction of the air shower. We report on measurements of the electric field vector where, in addition to this geomagnetic component, another component has been observed which cannot be described by the geomagnetic emission process. The data provide strong evidence that the other electric field component is polarized radially wit…
Measurement of the Proton-Air Cross Section ats=57 TeVwith the Pierre Auger Observatory
We report a measurement of the proton-air cross section for particle production at the center-of-mass energy per nucleon of 57 TeV. This is derived from the distribution of the depths of shower maxima observed with the Pierre Auger Observatory: systematic uncertainties are studied in detail. Analyzing the tail of the distribution of the shower maxima, a proton-air cross section of [505 +/- 22(stat)(-36)(+28)(syst)] mb is found.
Search for promptly produced heavy quarkonium states in hadronic Z decays
A search has been made for direct production of heavy quarkonium states in more than 3 million hadronic Z^{0} decays in the 1991-1994 DELPHI data. Prompt J/\psi, \psi(2S) and \Upsilon candidates have been searched for through their leptonic decay modes using criteria based on the kinematics and decay vertex positions. New upper limits are set at the 90 \% confidence level for {Br( Z^0 \rightarrow \left( Q \bar{Q} \right) X ) / Br( Z^0 \rightarrow \mbox{hadrons})} for various strong production mechanisms of J/\psi and \Upsilon; these range down to 0.9 \times 10^{-4}. The limits are set in the presence of a small excess (\sim 1 \% statistical probability of a background fluctuation) in the su…
The FRAM robotic telescope for atmospheric monitoring at the Pierre Auger Observatory
FRAM (F/Photometric Robotic Atmospheric Monitor) is a robotic telescope operated at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina for the purposes of atmospheric monitoring using stellar photometry. As a passive system which does not produce any light that could interfere with the observations of the fluorescence telescopes of the observatory, it complements the active monitoring systems that use lasers. We discuss the applications of stellar photometry for atmospheric monitoring at optical observatories in general and the particular modes of operation employed by the Auger FRAM. We describe in detail the technical aspects of FRAM, the hardware and software requirements for a successful operati…
Search for point-like sources of ultra-high energy neutrinos at the pierre auger observatory and improved limit on the diffuse flux of tau neutrinos
The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory can detect neutrinos with energy Eν between 1017 eV and 1020 eV from point-like sources across the sky south of +55º and north of −65º declinations. A search has been performed for highly inclined extensive air showers produced by the interaction of neutrinos of all flavors in the atmosphere (downward-going neutrinos), and by the decay of tau leptons originating from tau neutrino interactions in Earth’s crust (Earth-skimming neutrinos). No candidate neutrinos have been found in data up to 2010 May 31. This corresponds to an equivalent exposure of ∼3.5 years of a full surface detector array for the Earth-skimming channel and ∼2 years…
Search for chargino pair production in scenarios with gravitino LSP and stau NLSP at GeV at LEP
Promptly decaying lightest charginos were searched for in the context of scenarios with gravitino LSP. It was assumed that the stau is the next to lightest supersymmetric particle (NLSP). Data collected with the DELPHI detector at a centre-of-mass energy near 183~{~mbox{${mathrm{GeV}}$}}\nwere analysed combining the methods developed in previous searches. No evidence for the production of these particles was found. Hence, limits were derived at 95% confidence level. The mass of charginos was found to be greater than 85.5~GeV/$c^2$ for $m_{ ilde{chi}^+_1}-m_{ ilde{ au}_1}geq 0.3 {mathrm{GeV}}/c^2$, independently of the mass of the gravitino.
Design and implementation of the AMIGA embedded system for data acquisition
The successful installation, commissioning, and operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory would not have been possible without the strong commitment and effort from the technical and admin-istrative staff in Malargtie. We are very grateful to the following agencies and organizations for financial support: Comision Nacional de Energla Atomica, Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientffica y Tec-nologica (ANPCyT) , Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientfficas y Tecnicas (CONICET) , Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza, Municipalidad de Malargtie, NDM Holdings and Valle Las Leilas, in gratitude for their continuing cooperation over land access, Argentina; the Australian Research Council; Conselho…
A Targeted Search for Point Sources of EeV Neutrons
A flux of neutrons from an astrophysical source in the Galaxy can be detected in the Pierre Auger Observatory as an excess of cosmic-ray air showers arriving from the direction of the source. To avoid the statistical penalty for making many trials, classes of objects are tested in combinations as nine “target sets”, in addition to the search for a neutron flux from the Galactic Center or from the Galactic Plane. Within a target set, each candidate source is weighted in proportion to its electromagnetic flux, its exposure to the Auger Observatory, and its flux attenuation factor due to neutron decay. These searches do not find evidence for a neutron flux from any class of candidate sources. …
Large-scale distribution of arrival directions of cosmic rays detected above 1018 eV at the Pierre Auger Observatory
A thorough search for large-scale anisotropies in the distribution of arrival directions of cosmic rays detected above 1018 eV at the Pierre Auger Observatory is presented. This search is performed as a function of both declination and right ascension in several energy ranges above 1018 eV, and reported in terms of dipolar and quadrupolar coefficients. Within the systematic uncertainties, no significant deviation from isotropy is revealed. Assuming that any cosmic-ray anisotropy is dominated by dipole and quadrupole moments in this energy range, upper limits on their amplitudes are derived. These upper limits allow us to test the origin of cosmic rays above 1018 eV from stationary Galactic …
Reconstruction of events recorded with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
Cosmic rays arriving at Earth collide with the upper parts of the atmosphere, thereby inducing extensive air showers. When secondary particles from the cascade arrive at the ground, they are measured by surface detector arrays. We describe the methods applied to the measurements of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory to reconstruct events with zenith angles less than 60 using the timing and signal information recorded using the water-Cherenkov detector stations. In addition, we assess the accuracy of these methods in reconstructing the arrival directions of the primary cosmic ray particles and the sizes of the induced showers.
Antennas for the detection of radio emission pulses from cosmic-ray induced air showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory.
The Pierre Auger Observatory is exploring the potential of the radio detection technique to study extensive air showers induced by ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) addresses both technological and scientific aspects of the radio technique. A first phase of AERA has been operating since September 2010 with detector stations observing radio signals at frequencies between 30 and 80 MHz. In this paper we present comparative studies to identify and optimize the antenna design for the final configuration of AERA consisting of 160 individual radio detector stations. The transient nature of the air shower signal requires a detailed description of the antenna s…
The Fluorescence Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory is a hybrid detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It combines a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level together with a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The fluorescence detector comprises 24 large telescopes specialized for measuring the nitrogen fluorescence caused by charged particles of cosmic ray air showers. In this paper we describe the components of the fluorescence detector including its optical system, the design of the camera, the electronics, and the systems for relative and absolute calibration. We also discuss the operation and the monitoring of the detecto…
Testing effects of Lorentz invariance violation in the propagation of astroparticles with the Pierre Auger Observatory
The successful installation, commissioning, and operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory would not have been possible without the strong commitment and effort from the technical and administrative staff in Malargüe. We are very grateful to the following agencies and organizations for financial support: Argentina — Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza; Municipalidad de Malargüe; NDM Holdings and Valle Las Leñas; in gratitude for their continuing cooperation over land access; Australia — the Australian Research Council; Be…
Search for ultrarelativistic magnetic monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory
We present a search for ultra-relativistic magnetic monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory. Such particles, possibly a relic of phase transitions in the early universe, would deposit a large amount of energy along their path through the atmosphere, comparable to that of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). The air shower profile of a magnetic monopole can be effectively distinguished by the fluorescence detector from that of standard UHECRs. No candidate was found in the data collected between 2004 and 2012, with an expected background of less than 0.1 event from UHECRs. The corresponding 90% confidence level (C.L.) upper limits on the flux of ultra-relativistic magnetic monopoles ra…
PRODUCTION-RATE AND DECAY LIFETIME MEASUREMENTS OF B(S)0 MESONS AT LEP USING D(S) AND PHI MESONS
The study of the properties of inclusive production of Ds mesons and of events in which a φ{symbol} and a muon are present in the same jet provides two independent measurements of the probability, fs w, for a heavy quark to hadronize into a strange B or D meson. The data sample analysed corresponds to 243,000 hadronic Z0 decays. The combined value of these measurements is fs w=0.19±0.06±0.08. From the flight distance distributions of Ds and of (φ{symbol}-lepton) secondary vertices, with the lepton emitted at high transverse momentum relative to the jet axis, two values are obtained for the Bs 0 meson lifetime. Combining these measurements with a previous result based on the study of Ds-μ ev…
Energy dependence of event shapes and of $\alpha_s$ at LEP 2
Infrared and collinear safe event shape distributions and their mean values are determined using the data taken at five different centre of mass energies above M-Z with the DELPHI detector at LEP. From the event shapes, the strong coupling alpha(s) is extracted in O(alpha(s)(2)), NLLA and a combined scheme using hadronisation corrections evaluated with fragmentation model generators as well as using an analytical power ansatz. Comparing these measurements to those obtained at M-Z, the energy dependence (running) of alpha(s) is accessible. The logarithmic energy slope of the inverse strong coupling is measured to be d alpha(s)(-1)/d log(E-cm) = 1.39 +/- 0.34 (stat) +/- 0.17(syst), in good ag…
Measurement of the Fluctuations in the Number of Muons in Extensive Air Showers with the Pierre Auger Observatory
The successful installation, commissioning, and operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory would not have been possible without the strong commitment and effort from the technical and administrative staff in Malargue. We are very grateful to the following agencies and organizations for financial support: Argentina-Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica (ANPCyT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza, Municipalidad de Malargue, NDM Holdings and Valle Las Lenas; in gratitude for their continuing cooperation over land access; Australia-the Australian Research Council; Brazil…
Muons in air showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory
We present the first hybrid measurement of the average muon number in air showers at ultrahigh energies, initiated by cosmic rays with zenith angles between 62° and 80°. The measurement is based on 174 hybrid events recorded simultaneously with the surface detector array and the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The muon number for each shower is derived by scaling a simulated reference profile of the lateral muon density distribution at the ground until it fits the data. A 1019eV shower with a zenith angle of 67°, which arrives at the surface detector array at an altitude of 1450 m above sea level, contains on average (2.68±0.04±0.48(sys))×107 muons with energies large…
Charged particle multiplicity in e^{+}e_{-}$ → q[L:q] events at 161 and 172 GeV and from the decay of the W boson
The data collected by DELPHI in 1996 have been used to measure the average charged particle multiplicities and dispersions in $q\bar{q}$ events at centre-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s}=161$~GeV and $\sqrt{s}=172$~GeV, and the average charge multiplicity in WW events at $\sqrt{s}=172$~GeV. The multiplicities in $q\bar{q}$ events are consistent with the evolution predicted by QCD. The dispersions in the multiplicity distributions are consistent with Koba-Nielsen-Olesen (KNO) scaling. The average multiplicity of charged particles in hadronic W decays has been measured for the first time; its value, $19.23 \pm 0.74 (stat+syst)$, is consistent with that expected for an $e^+e^-$ interaction at a c…
Search for patterns by combining cosmic-ray energy and arrival directions at the Pierre Auger Observatory
Energy-dependent patterns in the arrival directions of cosmic rays are searched for using data of the Pierre Auger Observatory. We investigate local regions around the highest-energy cosmic rays with E ≥ 6×1019 eV by analyzing cosmic rays with energies above E ≥ 5×1018 eV arriving within an angular separation of approximately 15∘. We characterize the energy distributions inside these regions by two independent methods, one searching for angular dependence of energy-energy correlations and one searching for collimation of energy along the local system of principal axes of the energy distribution. No significant patterns are found with this analysis. The comparison of these measurements with …
Advanced functionality for radio analysis in the Offline software framework of the Pierre Auger Observatory
The advent of the Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) necessitates the development of a powerful framework for the analysis of radio measurements of cosmic ray air showers. As AERA performs ‘‘radio- hybrid’’ measurements of air shower radio emission in coincidence with the surface particle detectors and fluorescence telescopes of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the radio analysis functionality had to be incorporated in the existing hybrid analysis solutions for fluorescence and surface detector data. This goal has been achieved in a natural way by extending the existing Auger Offline software framework with radio functionality. In this article, we lay out the design, highlights and features …
Measurement of $\Delta^{++}$(1232) production in hadronic Z decays
A measurement of the \Delta^{++}(1232) inclusive production in hadronic decays of the Z at LEP is presented, based on 1.3 million hadronic events collected~ by the DELPHI~ detector in the 1994 LEP running~ period. The DELPHI ring imaging Cherenkov counters are used for identifying hadrons. The average \Delta^{++}(1232) multiplicity per hadronic event is 0.079 \pm 0.015 which is more than a factor of two below the JETSET, HERWIG and UCLA model predictions. It agrees with a recently proposed universal mass dependence of particle production rates in e^{+}e^- annihilations.
Two-particle angular correlations in e(+)e(-) interactions compared with QCD predictions
Two-particle angular correlations in jet cones have been measured in e(+)e(-) annihilation into hadrons at LEP energies (root s = 91 and 183 GeV) and are compared with QCD predictions using the LPHD hypothesis. Two different functions have been tested. While the differentially normalized correlation function shows substantial deviations from the predictions, a globally normalized correlation function agrees well. The size of alpha(s)(eff) land other QCD parameters) and its running with the relevant angular scale, the validity of LPHD, and problems due to non-perturbative effects are discussed critically. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
A search for anisotropy in the arrival directions of ultra high energy cosmic rays recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory
Observations of cosmic ray arrival directions made with the Pierre Auger Observatory have previously provided evidence of anisotropy at the 99% CL using the correlation of ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) with objects drawn from the Véron-Cetty Véron catalog. In this paper we report on the use of three catalog independent methods to search for anisotropy. The 2pt–L, 2pt+ and 3pt methods, each giving a different measure of selfclustering in arrival directions, were tested on mock cosmic ray data sets to study the impacts of sample size and magnetic smearing on their results, accounting for both angular and energy resolutions. If the sources of UHECRs follow the same large scale structu…
Searches for anisotropies in the arrival directions of the highest energy cosmic rays detected by the Pierre Auger Observatory
We analyze the distribution of arrival directions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory in 10 years of operation. The data set, about three times larger than that used in earlier studies, includes arrival directions with zenith angles up to $80^\circ$, thus covering from $-90^\circ$ to $+45^\circ$ in declination. After updating the fraction of events correlating with the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the V��ron-Cetty and V��ron catalog, we subject the arrival directions of the data with energies in excess of 40 EeV to different tests for anisotropy. We search for localized excess fluxes and for self-clustering of event directions at angular scales up t…
Observation of the suppression of the flux of cosmic rays above 4x10^19eV
The energy spectrum of cosmic rays above 2.5 × 10¹⁸ eV, derived from 20,000 events recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory, is described. The spectral index γ of the particle flux, J ∝ E-γ, at energies between 4 × 10¹⁸ eV and 4 × 10¹⁹ eV is 2.69 ± 0.02(stat) ± 0.06(syst), steepening to 4.2 ± 0.4(stat) ± 0.06(syst) at higher energies. The hypothesis of a single power law is rejected with a significance greater than 6 standard deviations. The data are consistent with the prediction by Greisen and by Zatsepin and Kuz'min.
Update on the correlation of the highest energy cosmic rays with nearby extragalactic matter
Data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory through 31 August 2007 showed evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of cosmic rays above the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuz'min energy threshold, 6 x 10(19) eV. The anisotropy was measured by the fraction of arrival directions that are less than 3.1 degrees from the position of an active galactic nucleus within 75 Mpc (using the Veron-Cetty and Veron 12th catalog). An updated measurement of this fraction is reported here using the arrival directions of cosmic rays recorded above the same energy threshold through 31 December 2009. The number of arrival directions has increased from 27 to 69, allowing a more precise measurement. The correlating…
Energy dependence of the differences between the quark and gluon jet fragmentation
Three jet events arising from decays of the Z beson, collected by the DELPHI detector, were used to measure differences in quark and gluon fragmentation. Gluon jets were anti-tagged by identifying b quark jets. Unbiased quark jets came from events with two jets plus one photon. Quark and gluon jet properties in different energy ranges were compared for the first time within the same detector. Quark and gluon jets of nearly the same energy in symmetric three jet event topologies were also compared. Using three independent methods, the average value of the ratio of the mean charged multiplicities of gluon and quark jets is [ r ] = 1.241 +/- 0.015 (stat.) +/- 0.025 (syst.). Gluon jets are broa…
The energy spectrum of cosmic rays beyond the turn-down around 1017 eV as measured with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
The successful installation, commissioning, and operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory would not have been possible without the strong commitment and effort from the technical and administrative staff in Malargüe. We are very grateful to the following agencies and organizations for financial support: Argentina – Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza; Municipalidad de Malargüe; NDM Holdings and Valle Las Leñas; in gratitude for their continuing cooperation over land access; Australia – the Australian Research Council; Be…
Extraction of the Muon Signals Recorded with the Surface Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory Using Recurrent Neural Networks
The Pierre Auger Observatory, at present the largest cosmic-ray observatory ever built, is instrumented with a ground array of 1600 water-Cherenkov detectors, known as the Surface Detector (SD). The SD samples the secondary particle content (mostly photons, electrons, positrons and muons) of extensive air showers initiated by cosmic rays with energies ranging from $10^{17}~$eV up to more than $10^{20}~$eV. Measuring the independent contribution of the muon component to the total registered signal is crucial to enhance the capability of the Observatory to estimate the mass of the cosmic rays on an event-by-event basis. However, with the current design of the SD, it is difficult to straightfo…
The exposure of the hybrid detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory is a detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It consists of a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level and a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The ‘‘hybrid” detection mode combines the information from the two subsystems. We describe the determination of the hybrid exposure for events observed by the fluorescence telescopes in coincidence with at least one water-Cherenkov detector of the surface array. A detailed knowledge of the time dependence of the detection operations is crucial for an accurate evaluation of the exposure. We discuss the relevance of monitoring data coll…
Atmospheric effects on extensive air showers observed with the Surface Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
Atmospheric parameters, such as pressure (P), temperature (T) and density (ρ ∝ P/T), affect the development of extensive air showers initiated by energetic cosmic rays. We have studied the impact of atmospheric variations on extensive air showers by means of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The rate of events shows a ∼ 10% seasonal modulation and ∼ 2% diurnal one. We find that the observed behaviour is explained by a model including the effects associated with the variations of P and ρ. The former affects the longitudinal development of air showers while the latter influences the Molière radius and hence the lateral distribution of the shower particles. The model is val…
Measurement of the radiation energy in the radio signal of extensive air showers as a universal estimator of cosmic-ray energy
We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8±0.7(stat)±6.7(syst) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principles calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the d…
Study of the four-jet anomaly observed at LEP centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV
The four-jet events collected by DELPHI during the special LEP run at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV in 1997 with an integrated luminosity of 5.9 pb(-1) are analysed. Their rate and the distributions of their di-jet masses, their smallest jet charges, and their di-jet charge separations all agree well with Standard Model predictions. Thus the hypothesis of pair production of a new particle with a sum of di-jet masses around 105 GeV/c(2) is not supported. The combined result of the four LEP collaborations refuting this hypothesis at over 99% confidence level is also given. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Erratum to "Atmospheric effects on extensive air showers observed with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger observatory"[Astroparticle Physics 32(2) (2009), 89-99]
The Pierre Auger Collaboration... K.B. Barber... J.A. Bellido... R.W. Clay... B.R. Dawson... V.C. Holmes... J. Sorokin... P. Wahrlich... B.J. Whelan... M.G. Winnick... et al.
Muons in air showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory: Measurement of atmospheric production depth
The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory provides information about the longitudinal development of the muonic component of extensive air showers. Using the timing information from the flash analog-to-digital converter traces of surface detectors far from the shower core, it is possible to reconstruct a muon production depth distribution. We characterize the goodness of this reconstruction for zenith angles around 60° and different energies of the primary particle. From these distributions, we define Xμmax as the depth along the shower axis where the production of muons reaches maximum. We explore the potentiality of Xμmax as a useful observable to infer the mass compositi…
Studies on the response of a water-Cherenkov detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory to atmospheric muons using an RPC hodoscope
Extensive air showers, originating from ultra-high energy cosmic rays, have been successfully measured through the use of arrays of water-Cherenkov detectors (WCDs). Sophisticated analyses exploiting WCD data have made it possible to demonstrate that shower simulations, based on different hadronic-interaction models, cannot reproduce the observed number of muons at the ground. The accurate knowledge of the WCD response to muons is paramount in establishing the exact level of this discrepancy. In this work, we report on a study of the response of a WCD of the Pierre Auger Observatory to atmospheric muons performed with a hodoscope made of resistive plate chambers (RPCs), enabling us to selec…
Measurement of inclusive ρ0, f0(980), f2(1270), K and f′2(1525) production in Z0 decays
DELPHI results are presented on the inclusive production of the neutral mesons ρ0, f0(980), f2(1270), KView the MathML source and f′2(1525) in hadronic Z0 decays. They are based on about 2 million multihadronic events collected in 1994 and 1995, using the particle identification capabilities of the DELPHI Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors and measured ionization losses in the Time Projection Chamber. The total production rates per hadronic Z0 decay have been determined to be: 1.19±0.10 for ρ0; 0.164±0.021 for f0(980); 0.214±0.038 for f2(1270); 0.073±0.023 for KView the MathML source; and 0.012±0.006 for f′2(1525). The total production rates for all mesons and differential cross-sections for …
Upper limit on the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy tau neutrinos from the Pierre Auger Observatory
The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory is sensitive to Earth-skimming tau neutrinos that interact in Earth’s crust. Tau leptons from ντ charged-current interactions can emerge and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a significant electromagnetic component. The data collected between 1 January 2004 and 31 August 2007 are used to place an upper limit on the diffuse flux of ντ at EeV energies. Assuming an E−2ν differential energy spectrum the limit set at 90% C.L. is E2νdNντdEν<1.3×10−7 GeV cm−2 s−1 sr−1 in the energy range 2×1017 eV<E<2×1019 eV.
Trigger and aperture of the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory
The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory consists of 1600 water-Cherenkov detectors, for the study of extensive airshowers (EAS) generated by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. We describe the trigger hierarchy, from the identification of candidates howers at the level of a single detector, amongst a large background (mainly random single cosmic ray muons), up to the selection of real events and the rejection of random coincidences. Such trigger makes the surface detector array fully efficient for the detection of EAS with energy above 3 x 1018 eV, for all zenith angles between 03 and 603, independently of the position of the impact point and of the mass of the primary particl…
Search for charged Higgs bosons in e^{+}e^{-}$ collisions at √s=172 GeV
This paper presents results on charged Higgs boson production, based on LEP data collected at √s = 172 GeV, that complement the previous DELPHI results obtained at centre of mass energies up to 161 GeV. The charged Higgs bosons are assumed to be pair produced and to decay either into a quark pair or into τVτ. The three different possible final states are included in the analysis. Data from ring imaging Cherenkov and microvertex detectors are used to identify the quarks as a cs pair. The number of candidates found is compatible with the background expected from standard processes. Combining the results of the present analysis with those of the previous analysis at lower energies, a new lower…
mb at MZ
Abstract The value of the b quark mass at the M Z scale defined in the MS renormalization scheme, m b ( M Z ), was determined using 2.8 million hadronic Z decays collected during 1992-1994 by the DELPHI detector to be m b (M Z )=2.67±0.25 ( stat. )±0.34 ( frag. )±0.27 ( theo. ) GeV/c 2 . The analysis considers NLO corrections to the three-jet production rate including mass effects, and the result obtained agrees with the QCD prediction of having a running b quark mass at an energy scale equal to M Z . This is the first time that such a measurement is performed far above the b b production threshold. The study also verifies the flavour independence of the strong coupling constant for b and l…
Description of atmospheric conditions at the Pierre Auger Observatory using the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS)
Atmospheric conditions at the site of a cosmic ray observatory must be known for reconstructing observed extensive air showers. The Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) is a global atmospheric model predicated on meteorological measurements and numerical weather predictions. GDAS provides altitude-dependent profiles of the main state variables of the atmosphere like temperature, pressure, and humidity. The original data and their application to the air shower reconstruction of the Pierre Auger Observatory are described. By comparisons with radiosonde and weather station measurements obtained on-site in Malargüe and averaged monthly models, the utility of the GDAS data is shown.
Features of the Energy Spectrum of Cosmic Rays above 2.5×10$^{18}$ eV Using the Pierre Auger Observatory
We report a measurement of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays above $2.5{\times} 10^{18}$ eV based on $215,030$ events. New results are presented: at about $1.3{\times} 10^{19}$ eV, the spectral index changes from $2.51 \pm 0.03 \textrm{ (stat.)} \pm 0.05 \textrm{ (sys.)}$ to $3.05 \pm 0.05 \textrm{ (stat.)}\pm 0.10\textrm{ (sys.)}$, evolving to $5.1\pm0.3\textrm{ (stat.)} \pm 0.1\textrm{ (sys.)}$ beyond $5{\times} 10^{19}$ eV, while no significant dependence of spectral features on the declination is seen in the accessible range. These features of the spectrum can be reproduced in models with energy-dependent mass composition. The energy density in cosmic rays above $5{\times} 10^{18}$ eV …
Correlation of the highest-energy cosmic rays with the positions of nearby active galactic nuclei
Data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory provide evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of the cosmic rays with the ighest-energies, which are correlated with the positions of relatively nearby active galactic nuclei (AGN) [Pierre Auger Collaboration, Science 318 (2007) 938]. The correlation has maximum significance for cosmic rays with energy greater than ~6 x 1019 eV and AGN at a distance less than ~75 Mpc. We have confirmed the anisotropy at a confidence level of more than 99% through a test with parameters specified a priori, using an independent data set. The observed correlation is compatible with the hypothesis that cosmic rays with the highest-energies originate fro…
Bounds on the density of sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays from the Pierre Auger Observatory
We derive lower bounds on the density of sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays from the lack of significant clustering in the arrival directions of the highest energy events detected at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The density of uniformly distributed sources of equal intrinsic intensity was found to be larger than similar to (0.06 – 5) x 10(-4) Mpc(-3) at 95% CL, depending on the magnitude of the magnetic defections. Similar bounds, in the range (0.2 – 7) x 10(-4) Mpc(-3), were obtained for sources following the local matter distribution.