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Main Author: Novotný, Vladimír
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.19002
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author Novotný, Vladimír
author_facet Novotný, Vladimír
contents The Pierre Auger Observatory has conducted measurements of the energy spectrum and mass composition of cosmic rays using different methods. Utilizing both surface and fluorescence detectors (SD and FD), the Observatory provides unprecedented precision in understanding these particles. While primarily designed to measure ultra-high energy cosmic rays, the FD's high-elevation telescopes and the dense arrays of SD stations enable observations down to 6 PeV and 60 PeV, respectively. To determine the depth of shower maximum, a critical parameter for identifying primary particle types, both direct longitudinal profile measurements from the FD and indirect signal analyses from the SD are employed. An energy evolution of the mass of primary particles, as well as of the spectral index of the flux intensity, are observed and characterized by features described in the presented work. The measurements benefit from the joint operation of the FD and SD, delivering a systematic uncertainty of 14% in energy determination and an accumulated exposure reaching 80 000 km$^2$ sr yr at the highest energies.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_19002
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Energy evolution of cosmic-ray mass and intensity measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
Novotný, Vladimír
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
The Pierre Auger Observatory has conducted measurements of the energy spectrum and mass composition of cosmic rays using different methods. Utilizing both surface and fluorescence detectors (SD and FD), the Observatory provides unprecedented precision in understanding these particles. While primarily designed to measure ultra-high energy cosmic rays, the FD's high-elevation telescopes and the dense arrays of SD stations enable observations down to 6 PeV and 60 PeV, respectively. To determine the depth of shower maximum, a critical parameter for identifying primary particle types, both direct longitudinal profile measurements from the FD and indirect signal analyses from the SD are employed. An energy evolution of the mass of primary particles, as well as of the spectral index of the flux intensity, are observed and characterized by features described in the presented work. The measurements benefit from the joint operation of the FD and SD, delivering a systematic uncertainty of 14% in energy determination and an accumulated exposure reaching 80 000 km$^2$ sr yr at the highest energies.
title Energy evolution of cosmic-ray mass and intensity measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.19002