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Measurement of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers above 1018eV

J. Abraham et al. (Pierre Auger Collaboration)
Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 091101 – Published 1 March 2010
Physics logo See Synopsis: Air showers from ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays

Abstract

We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of the longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost 4000 events above 1018eV 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 (10621+35)g/cm2/decade below 1018.24±0.05eV, and (24±3)g/cm2/decade above this energy. The measured shower-to-shower fluctuations decrease from about 55 to 26g/cm2. The interpretation of these results in terms of the cosmic ray mass composition is briefly discussed.

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  • Received 7 December 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.091101

©2010 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Air showers from ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays

Published 1 March 2010

Cascades created by cosmic rays interacting with the atmosphere provide clues about the mass composition of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays.

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Vol. 104, Iss. 9 — 5 March 2010

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