Measurement of cosmic ray air shower development at energies above 1017eV

Physics – Nuclear Physics

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

We present measurements of the depth of maximum for extensive air showers (EAS) produced by cosmic ray nuclei with energies above 1017eV. The air showers were observed using the University of Utah's Fly's Eye detectors operating in stereo mode. Measurements of the atmospheric nitrogen fluorescence light generated by EAS have been used to obtain longitudinal development curves of individual showers and, in particular, the depth of maximum of each shower. The data imply an elongation rate of 89 +/- 6 g cm-2 per decade above 1017eV. The distribution of depths of shower maximum has a mean value of 690 +/- 3 g cm-2 (with an estimated systematic uncertainty of +/- 20 g cm-2) and a width (standard deviation) of 85 +/- 2 g cm-2 for showers with energies above 3 × 1017eV. The tail of the distribution has a logarithmic decrement of λ = 70 +/- 14 g cm-2. Comparisons with predictions for a pure proton and a pure iron flux indicate that the data are not consistent with either.

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