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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.

[PHYS.ASTR.HE]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena [astro-ph.HE]FLUORESCENCE LIGHTGeneral Physics and AstronomyPierre Auger Observatory; depth of maximum; fluorescence detector; cosmic raysFOS: Physical sciencesCosmic rayChemical CompositionAstrophysicsMass compositionENERGIA01 natural sciencesCoincidenceAugerNuclear physicsPhysics and Astronomy (all)cosmic rays0103 physical sciencesRECONSTRUCTIONHigh-Energy Cosmic Ray010303 astronomy & astrophysicsDETECTORCiencias ExactasPierre Auger ObservatoryPhysicsHigh Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)MeasurementSPECTRUM010308 nuclear & particles physicsPhysics[SDU.ASTR.HE]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena [astro-ph.HE]Pierre Auger ExperimentDetectorPrimary compositionFísicaPierre Auger ObservatoryCOSMIC-RAYSCosmic raylongitudinal developmentLongitudinal developmentRESOLUTIONFísica nuclearfluorescenceAstrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaenergyPhysical Review Letters
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