0000000000906916
AUTHOR
P. Kasper
showing 42 related works from this author
Search for the pair production of scalar top quarks in the acoplanar charm jet final state in collisions at
2007
A search for the pair production of scalar top quarks, {bar t}, has been performed in 360 pb{sup -1} of data from p{bar p} collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The {bar t} decay mode considered is {bar t} {yields} c{bar {chi}}{sub 1}{sup 0}, where {bar {chi}}{sub 1}{sup 0} is the lightest supersymmetric particle. The topology analyzed therefore consists of a pair of acoplanar heavy-flavor jets with missing transverse energy. The data show good agreement with the standard model expectation, and a 95% C.L. exclusion domain in the (m{sub {tilde t}}, m{sub {tilde {chi}}{sub 1}{sup 0}}) plane has been determined, exten…
Measurement of the top quark mass in the dilepton channel
2007
We present a measurement of the top quark mass in the dilepton channel based on approximately 370/pb of data collected by the D0 experiment during Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We employ two different methods to extract the top quark mass. We show that both methods yield consistent results using ensemble tests of events generated with the D0 Monte Carlo simulation. We combine the results from the two methods to obtain a top quark mass m_t = 178.1 +/- 8.2 GeV. The statistical uncertainty is 6.7 GeV and the systematic uncertainty is 4.8 GeV.
A search for point sources of EeV neutrons
2012
A thorough search of the sky exposed at the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory reveals no statistically significant excess of events in any small solid angle that would be indicative of a flux of neutral particles from a discrete source. The search covers from −90◦ to +15◦ in declination using four different energy ranges above 1 EeV (1018 eV). The method used in this search is more sensitive to neutrons than to photons. The upper limit on a neutron flux is derived for a dense grid of directions for each of the four energy ranges. These results constrain scenarios for the production of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays in the Galaxy.
Search for scalar leptoquarks in the acoplanar jet topology in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV
2006
A search for leptoquarks has been performed in 310 pb{sup -1} of data from p{bar p} collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The topology analyzed consists of acoplanar jets with missing transverse energy. The data show good agreement with standard model expectations, and a lower mass limit of 136 GeV has been set at the 95% C.L. for a scalar leptoquark decaying exclusively into a quark and a neutrino.
Measurement of neutrino-induced charged-current charged pion production cross sections on mineral oil atEν∼1 GeV
2011
Using a high-statistics, high-purity sample of {nu}{sub {mu}-}induced charged current, charged pion events in mineral oil (CH{sub 2}), MiniBooNE reports a collection of interaction cross sections for this process. This includes measurements of the CC{pi}{sup +} cross section as a function of neutrino energy, as well as flux-averaged single- and double-differential cross sections of the energy and direction of both the final-state muon and pion. In addition, each of the single-differential cross sections are extracted as a function of neutrino energy to decouple the shape of the MiniBooNE energy spectrum from the results. In many cases, these cross sections are the first time such quantities…
Search for Stopped Gluinos frompp¯Collisions ats=1.96 TeV
2007
Long-lived, heavy particles are predicted in a number of models beyond the standard model of particle physics. We present the first direct search for such particles' decays, occurring up to 100 h after their production and not synchronized with an accelerator bunch crossing. We apply the analysis to the gluino (g), predicted in split supersymmetry, which after hadronization can become charged and lose enough momentum through ionization to come to rest in dense particle detectors. Approximately 410 pb(-1) of p (p) over bar collisions at root s = 1.96 TeV collected with the D0 detector during Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron collider are analyzed in search of such "stopped gluinos" decaying in…
Measurement of theΛbLifetime in the Exclusive DecayΛb→J/ψΛ
2007
We have measured the {lambda}{sub b} lifetime using the exclusive decay {lambda}{sub b}{yields}J/{psi}{lambda}, based on 1.2 fb{sup -1} of data collected with the D0 detector during 2002-2006. From 171 reconstructed {lambda}{sub b} decays, where the J/{psi} and {lambda} are identified via the decays J/{psi}{yields}{mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -} and {lambda}{yields}p{pi}, we measured the {lambda}{sub b} lifetime to be {tau}({lambda}{sub b})=1.218{sub -0.115}{sup +0.130}(stat){+-}0.042(syst) ps. We also measured the B{sup 0} lifetime in the decay B{sup 0}{yields}J/{psi}({mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -})K{sub S}{sup 0}({pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}) to be {tau}(B{sup 0})=1.501{sub -0.074}{sup +0.078}(stat){+-}0.050(sy…
Techniques for measuring aerosol attenuation using the Central Laser Facility at the Pierre Auger Observatory
2013
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…
Search for signatures of magnetically-induced alignment in the arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
2011
We present the results of an analysis of data recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory in which we search for groups of directionally-aligned events (or ‘multiplets’) which exhibit a correlation between arrival direc- tion and the inverse of the energy. These signatures are expected from sets of events coming from the same source after having been deflected by intervening coherent magnetic fields. The observation of several events from the same source would open the possibility to accurately reconstruct the position of the source and also measure the integral of the component of the magnetic field orthogonal to the trajectory of the cos- mic rays. We describe the largest multiplets found an…
Probing the radio emission from air showers with polarization measurements
2014
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 Ratio of theνμCharged-Current Single-Pion Production to Quasielastic Scattering with a 0.8 GeV Neutrino Beam on Mineral Oil
2009
Charged current single pion production (CC{pi}{sup +}) and charged current quasi-elastic scattering (CCQE) are the most abundant interaction types for neutrinos at energies around 1 GeV, a region of great interest to oscillation experiments. The cross-sections for these processes, however, are not well understood in this energy range. This dissertation presents a measurement of the ratio of CC{pi}{sup +} to CCQE cross-sections for muon neutrinos on mineral oil (CH{sub 2}) in the MiniBooNE experiment. The measurement is presented here both with and without corrections for hadronic re-interactions in the target nucleus and is given as a function of neutrino energy in the range 0.4 GeV < E{sub…
Measurement of the ratios of the Z/γ∗+⩾n jet production cross sections to the total inclusive Z/γ∗ cross section in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV
2008
We present a study of events with Z bosons and jets produced at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider in ppbar collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The data sample consists of nearly 14,000 Z/G* -> e+e- candidates corresponding to the integrated luminosity of 340 pb-1 collected using the D0 detector. Ratios of the Z/G* + >= n jet cross sections to the total inclusive Z/G* cross section have been measured for n = 1 to 4 jet events. Our measurements are found to be in good agreement with a next-to-leading order QCD calculation and with a tree-level QCD prediction with parton shower simulation and hadronization.
Search for the lightest scalar top quark in events with two leptons in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV
2009
Abstract We report results of a search for the pair production of the lightest supersymmetric partner of the top quark, t ˜ 1 , using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1 fb −1 collected by the DO detector at a p p ¯ center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. Both scalar top quarks are assumed to decay into a b quark, a charged lepton and a scalar neutrino. The search is performed in the electron plus muon and dielectron final states. The signal topology consists of two isolated leptons, missing transverse energy, and jets. We find no evidence for this process and exclude regions of parameter space in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric…
Search for Core-Collapse Supernovae using the MiniBooNE Neutrino Detector
2009
We present a search for core-collapse supernovae in the Milky Way galaxy, using the MiniBooNE neutrino detector. No evidence is found for core-collapse supernovae occurring in our Galaxy in the period from December 14, 2004 to July 31, 2008, corresponding to 98% live time for collection. We set a limit on the core-collapse supernova rate out to a distance of 13.4 kpc to be less than 0.69 supernovae per year at 90% C. L.
Erratum to: “Search for particles decaying into a Z boson and a photon in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV” [Phys. Lett. B 641 (2006) 415]
2009
Search for particles decaying into a Z boson and a photon in collisions p (p)over-bar at root s = 1.96 TeV (vol 641, pg 415, 2006)
Erratum to: “Measurement of the isolated photon cross section in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV” [Phys. Lett. B 639 (2006) 151]
2008
Measurement of the isolated photon cross section in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s = 1.96 TeV (vol 639, pg 151, 2006)
Search for ultrarelativistic magnetic monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory
2016
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…
A study of the effect of molecular and aerosol conditions in the atmosphere on air fluorescence measurements at the Pierre Auger Observatory
2010
The air fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory is designed to perforin calorimetric measurements of extensive air showers created by Cosmic rays of above 10(18) eV. To correct these measurements for the effects introduced by atmospheric fluctuations, the Observatory contains a group Of monitoring instruments to record atmospheric conditions across the detector site, ail area exceeding 3000 km(2). The atmospheric data are used extensively in the reconstruction of air showers, and are particularly important for the correct determination of shower energies and the depths of shower maxima. This paper contains a summary of the molecular and aerosol conditions measured at the Pierr…
Search for a Higgs boson produced in association with a Z boson
2007
We describe a search for the Standard Model Higgs boson with a mass of 105 GeV/c(2) to 145 GeV/c(2) in data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 450 pb(-1) collected with the D phi detector at the Fermilab Tevatron p (p) over bar collider at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The Higgs boson is required to be produced in association with a Z boson, and the Z boson is required to decay to either electrons or muons with the Higgs boson decaying to a b (b) over bar pair. The data are well described by the expected background, leading to 95% confidence level cross section upper limits sigma (p (p) over bar -> ZH) x B(H -> b (b) over bar) in the range of 3.1 pb to 4.4 pb.
Search for First Harmonic Modulation in the Right Ascension Distribution of Cosmic Rays Detected at the Pierre Auger Observatory
2011
We present the results of searches for dipolar-type anisotropies in different energy ranges above 2.5 × 1017 eV with the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory, reporting on both the phase and the amplitude measurements of the first harmonic modulation in the right-ascension distribution. Upper limits on the amplitudes are obtained, which provide the most stringent bounds at present, being below 2% at 99% C.L. for EeV energies. We also compare our results to those of previous experiments as well as with some theoretical expectations.
Zγ production and limits on anomalous ZZγ and Zγγ couplings in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV
2007
We present a study of eey and mu mu gamma events using 1109 (1009) pb-(1) of data in the electron (muon) channel, respectively. These data were collected with the DO detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp collider at Is = 1.96 TeV. Having observed 453 (515) candidates in the eey (jtAy) final state, we measure the Z gamma production cross section for a photon with transverse energy ET > 7 GeV, separation between the photon and leptons Delta Rey > 0.7, and invariant mass of the di-lepton pair Mee > 30 GeV/(2)(c), to be 4.96 0.30(stat. + syst.) zE 0.30(lumi.) pb, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction of 4.74 0.22 pb. This is the most precise Zy cross section measurement at a hadron col…
Search for R-parity violating supersymmetry via the LLE¯ couplings λ121, λ122 or λ133 in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV
2006
A search for gaugino pair production with a trilepton signature in the framework of R-parity violating supersymmetry via the couplings lambda_121, lambda_122, or lambda_133 is presented. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of L~360/pb, were collected from April 2002 to August 2004 with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. This analysis considers final states with three charged leptons with the flavor combinations eel, mumul, and eetau (l=e or mu). No evidence for supersymmetry is found and limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the gaugino pair production cross section and lower bounds on the masses of the …
Measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum using hybrid events of the Pierre Auger Observatory
2012
The energy spectrum of ultra-high energy cosmic rays above 10$^{18}$ eV is measured using the hybrid events collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory between November 2005 and September 2010. The large exposure of the Observatory allows the measurement of the main features of the energy spectrum with high statistics. Full Monte Carlo simulations of the extensive air showers (based on the CORSIKA code) and of the hybrid detector response are adopted here as an independent cross check of the standard analysis (Phys. Lett. B 685, 239 (2010)). The dependence on mass composition and other systematic uncertainties are discussed in detail and, in the full Monte Carlo approach, a region of confiden…
Search for supersymmetry in di-photon final states at s=1.96 TeV
2008
We report results of a search for supersymmetry (SUSY) with gauge-mediated symmetry breaking in di-photon events collected by the DO experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider in 2002-2006. In 1.1 fb(-1) of data, we find no significant excess beyond the background expected from the standard model and set the most stringent lower limits to date for a standard benchmark model on the lightest neutralino and chargino masses of 125 GeV and 229 GeV, respectively, at 95% confidence.
Search for particles decaying into a Z boson and a photon in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV
2006
Abstract We present the results of a search for a new particle X produced in p p ¯ collisions at s = 1.96 TeV and subsequently decaying to Zγ. The search uses 0.3 fb−1 of data collected with the DO detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We set limits on the production cross section times the branching fraction σ ( p p ¯ → X ) × B ( X → Z γ ) that range from 0.4 to 3.5 pb at the 95% C.L. for X with invariant masses between 100 and 1000 GeV / c 2 , over a wide range of X decay widths.
A combined search for the standard model Higgs boson at s=1.96 TeV
2008
AbstractWe present new results of the search for WH→ℓνbb¯ production in pp¯ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of s=1.96 TeV, based on a dataset with integrated luminosity of 0.44 fb−1. We combine these new results with previously published searches by the D0 collaboration, for WH and ZH production analyzed in the E̸Tbb¯ final state, for ZH (→ℓ+ℓ−bb¯) production, for WH (→WWW) production, and for H (→WW) direct production. No signal-like excess is observed either in the WH analysis or in the combination of all D0 Higgs boson analyses. We set 95% C.L. (expected) upper limits on σ(pp¯→WH)×B(H→bb¯) ranging from 1.6 (2.2) pb to 1.9 (3.3) pb for Higgs boson masses between 105 and 145 GeV, to …
Measurement of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers above 10(18) eV
2010
We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of the longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost four thousand events above 10¹⁸ eV observed by the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory in coincidence with at least one surface detector station are selected for the analysis. The average shower maximum was found to evolve with energy at a rate of (106⁺³⁵₋₂₁) g/cm²/decade below 1018.24 ± 0.05 eV and (24 ± 3) g/cm²/decade above this energy. The measured shower-to-shower fluctuations decrease from about 55 to 26 g/cm². The interpretation of these results in terms of the cosmic ray mass composition is briefly discussed.
Search for ultrahigh energy neutrinos in highly inclined events at the Pierre Auger Observatory
2011
Erratum: Phys. Rev. D 85, 029902(E) (2012) [http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.85.029902]
The effect of the geomagnetic field on cosmic ray energy estimates and large scale anisotropy searches on data from the Pierre Auger Observatory
2011
We present a comprehensive study of the influence of the geomagnetic field on the energy estimation of extensive air showers with a zenith angle smaller than $60^\circ$, detected at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The geomagnetic field induces an azimuthal modulation of the estimated energy of cosmic rays up to the ~2% level at large zenith angles. We present a method to account for this modulation of the reconstructed energy. We analyse the effect of the modulation on large scale anisotropy searches in the arrival direction distributions of cosmic rays. At a given energy, the geomagnetic effect is shown to induce a pseudo-dipolar pattern at the percent level in the declination distribution t…
Experimental Discrimination between Charge2e/3Top Quark and Charge4e/3Exotic Quark Production Scenarios
2007
We present the first experimental discrimination between the 2e/3 and 4e/3 top quark electric charge scenarios, using top quark pairs (ttbar) produced in ppbar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV by the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We use 370 pb-1 of data collected by the D0 experiment and select events with at least one high transverse momentum electron or muon, high transverse energy imbalance, and four or more jets. We discriminate between b- and bbar-quark jets by using the charge and momenta of tracks within the jet cones. The data is consistent with the expected electric charge, |q|=2e/3. We exclude, at the 92% C.L., that the sample is solely due to the production of exotic quark pairs QQba…
Search for single production of scalar leptoquarks in pp¯ collisions decaying into muons and quarks with the D0 detector
2007
We report on a search for second generation leptoquarks LQ_2 which decay into a muon plus quark in p\bar{p} collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV in the D0 detector using an integrated luminosity of about 300 pb-1. No evidence for a leptoquark signal is observed and an upper bound on the product of the cross section for single leptoquark production times branching fraction beta into a quark and a muon was determined for second generation scalar leptoquarks as a function of the leptoquark mass. This result has been combined with a previously published D0 search for leptoquark pair production to obtain leptoquark mass limits as a function of the leptoquark-muon-quark cou…
Search for W′ boson production in the W′→tb¯ decay channel
2006
We present a search for the production of a new heavy gauge boson W' that decays to a top quark and a bottom quark. We have analyzed 230 pb(-1) of data collected with the DO detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. No significant excess of events above the standard model expectation is found in any region of the final state invariant mass distribution. We set upper limits on the production cross section of W' bosons times branching ratio to top quarks at the 95% confidence level for several different W, boson masses. We exclude masses between 200 and 610 GeV for a W' boson with standard-model-like couplings, between 200 and 630 GeV for a W, boson wi…
Observation and Properties of the Orbitally ExcitedBs2*Meson
2008
We report the direct observation of the excited L=1 state B_{s2}* in fully reconstructed decays to B+K-. The mass of the B_{s2}* meson is measured to be {5839.6 +- 1.1 (stat.) +- 0.7 (syst.) MeV/c^2, and its production rate relative to the B+ meson is measured to be [1.15 +- 0.23 (stat.) +- 0.13 (syst.)] %.
Interpretation of the depths of maximum of extensive air showers measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
2013
To interpret the mean depth of cosmic ray air shower maximum and its dispersion, we parametrize those two observables as functions of the first two moments of the ln A distribution. We examine the goodness of this simple method through simulations of test mass distributions. The application of the parameterization to Pierre Auger Observatory data allows one to study the energy dependence of the mean ln A and of its variance under the assumption of selected hadronic interaction models. We discuss possible implications of these dependences in term of interaction models and astrophysical cosmic ray sources.
Testing Hadronic Interactions at Ultrahigh Energies with Air Showers Measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
2016
Ultrahigh energy cosmic ray air showers probe particle physics at energies beyond the reach of accelerators. Here we introduce a new method to test hadronic interaction models without relying on the absolute energy calibration, and apply it to events with primary energy 6-16 EeV (ECM=110-170 TeV), whose longitudinal development and lateral distribution were simultaneously measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory. The average hadronic shower is 1.33±0.16 (1.61±0.21) times larger than predicted using the leading LHC-tuned models EPOS-LHC (QGSJetII-04), with a corresponding excess of muons.
Search for techniparticles in e +jets events at D0
2006
We search for the technicolor process ppbar -> rho_T/omega_T ->W+pi_T in events containing one electron and two jets, in data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 390 pb-1, recorded by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron. Technicolor predicts that technipions, pi_T, decay dominantly into b-bbar, b-cbar, or bbar-c, depending on their charge. In these events b and c quarks are identified by their secondary decay vertices within jets. Two analysis methods based on topological variables are presented. Since no excess above the standard model prediction was found, the result is presented as an exclusion in the pi_T vs. rho_T mass plane for a given set of model parameters.
The rapid atmospheric monitoring system of the Pierre Auger Observatory
2012
The Pierre Auger Observatory is a facility built to detect air showers produced by cosmic rays above 1017 eV. During clear nights with a low illuminated moon fraction, the UV fluorescence light produced by air showers is recorded by optical telescopes at the Observatory. To correct the observations for variations in atmospheric conditions, atmospheric monitoring is performed at regular intervals ranging from several minutes (for cloud identification) to several hours (for aerosol conditions) to several days (for vertical profiles of temperature, pressure, and humidity). In 2009, the monitoring program was upgraded to allow for additional targeted measurements of atmospheric conditions shor…
Search for flavor-changing-neutral-current D meson decays
2008
We study the flavor-changing-neutral-current process c to u mu+ mu- using 1.3 fb^-1 of p p bar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV recorded by the D0 detector operating at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We see clear indications of the Ds+ and D+ to phi pi+ to mu+ mu- pi+ final states with significance greater than four standard deviations above background for the D+ state. We search for the continuum decay of D+ to pi+mu+mu- in the dimuon invariant mass spectrum away from the phi resonance. We see no evidence of signal above background and set a limit of B(D+ to pi+mu+mu-) < 3.9 x 10^-6 at the 90% C.L. This limit places the most stringent constraint on new phenomena in the c to u mu+ mu- t…
A search for point sources of EeV photons
2014
Measurements of air showersmade using the hybrid technique developed with the fluorescence and surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory allow a sensitive search for point sources of EeV photons anywhere in the exposed sky. A multivariate analysis reduces the background of hadronic cosmic rays. The search is sensitive to a declination band from −85º to +20º, in an energy range from 1017.3 eV to 1018.5 eV. No photon point source has been detected. An upper limit on the photon flux has been derived for every direction. The mean value of the energy flux limit that results from this, assuming a photon spectral index of −2, is 0.06 eV cm−2 s−1, and no celestial direction exceeds 0.25 eV …
Origin of atmospheric aerosols at the Pierre Auger Observatory using studies of air mass trajectories in South America
2014
The Pierre Auger Observatory is making significant contributions towards understanding the nature and origin of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. One of its main challenges is the monitoring of the atmosphere, both in terms of its state variables and its optical properties. The aim of this work is to analyze aerosol optical depth $\tau_{\rm a}(z)$ values measured from 2004 to 2012 at the observatory, which is located in a remote and relatively unstudied area of the Pampa Amarilla, Argentina. The aerosol optical depth is in average quite low - annual mean $\tau_{\rm a}(3.5~{\rm km})\sim 0.04$ - and shows a seasonal trend with a winter minimum - $\tau_{\rm a}(3.5~{\rm km})\sim 0.03$ -, and a sum…
Reconstruction of inclined air showers detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory
2014
We describe the method devised to reconstruct inclined cosmic-ray air showers with zenith angles greater than $60^\circ$ detected with the surface array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The measured signals at the ground level are fitted to muon density distributions predicted with atmospheric cascade models to obtain the relative shower size as an overall normalization parameter. The method is evaluated using simulated showers to test its performance. The energy of the cosmic rays is calibrated using a sub-sample of events reconstructed with both the fluorescence and surface array techniques. The reconstruction method described here provides the basis of complementary analyses including an…
Nanosecond-level time synchronization of autonomous radio detector stations for extensive air showers
2016
To exploit the full potential of radio measurements of cosmic-ray air showers at MHz frequencies, a detector timing synchronization within 1 ns is needed. Large distributed radio detector arrays such as the Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) rely on timing via the Global Positioning System (GPS) for the synchronization of individual detector station clocks. Unfortunately, GPS timing is expected to have an accuracy no better than about 5 ns. In practice, in particular in AERA, the GPS clocks exhibit drifts on the order of tens of ns. We developed a technique to correct for the GPS drifts, and an independent method is used to cross-check that indeed we reach a nanosecond-scale timing accura…