Layered water Cherenkov detector for the study of ultra high energy cosmic rays [IMA]

http://arxiv.org/abs/1405.5699


We present a new design for the water Cherenkov detectors that are in use in various cosmic ray observatories. This novel design can provide a significant improvement in the independent measurement of the muonic and electromagnetic component of extensive air showers. From such multi-component data an event by event classification of the primary cosmic ray mass becomes possible. According to popular hadronic interaction models, such as EPOS-LHC or QGSJetII-04, the discriminating power between iron and hydrogen primaries reaches Fisher values of $\sim$ 2 or above for energies in excess of $10^{19}$ eV with a detector array layout similar to that of the Pierre Auger Observatory.

Read this paper on arXiv…

A. Letessier-Selvon, P. Billoir, M. Blanco, et. al.
Fri, 23 May 14
10/44

Comments: 17 pages, 15 figures, submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods A