A conceptual design of a 104 km2 detector for the observation of UHE cosmic rays above 1017 eV

doi:10.1016/0920-5632(92)90123-A

Nuclear Physics B - Proceedings Supplements

Volume 28, Issue 2, November 1992, Pages 163-168

https://doi.org/10.1016/0920-5632(92)90123-A Get rights and content

Abstract

A conceptual design of a detector for the study of cosmic radiation in the energy range from 10¹⁷ eV up to 10²¹ eV is presented. The detector extends over an area of 10⁴ km². The basic detection elements are small solar blind air Cerenkov detectors. Details of the design will be discussed.

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Cited by (2)

Separation of gamma and hadron initiated air showers with energies between 20 and 500 TeV
1996, Astroparticle Physics
The discrimination between air showers initiated by γ rays and by hadrons is one of the fundamental problems in experimental cosmic-ray physics. The physics of this ‘γ/hadron separation’ is discussed in this paper. We restrict ourselves to the energy range from about 20 to 500 TeV, and take only the information contained in the lateral Čerenkov light distribution and the number of electrons at the detector level into consideration. An understanding of the differences between air showers generated by γ rays and those due to hadrons leads us to formulate suitable observables for the separation process. Angle integrating Čerenkov arrays (AICA) offer a promising new approach to ground-based γ-ray astronomy in the energy region from about 20 to 500 TeV. In order to establish this technique, an efficient suppression of the overwhelming hadronic background radiation is required. As an example for our general discussion, we present one method for γ/hadron separation in AICAs called ‘LES’. It is based on the simultaneous determination of the shower size and some characteristic parameters of the lateral distribution of the Čerenkov light. The potential inherent within this technique is demonstrated in quantitative detail for the existing ‘AIROBICC’ AICA. We also propose an objective measure of the intrinsic sensitivity of a detection scheme in ground-based γ-ray astronomy, the ‘reduced quality factor’. It is shown that AICAs may reach a sensitivity to γ-ray point sources in the high VHE range similar to that of the Čerenkov-telescope imaging technique in the low VHE region.
Design and performance of the angle integrating Čerenkov array AIROBICC
1995, Astroparticle Physics
An air-shower array consisting of 49 open huts with photomultiplier tubes viewing the night sky over a solid angle of about 1 steradian is described. The array is operating in conjunction with the HEGRA installation. The main objectives of the experiment are VHE to UHE γ-ray astronomy and a determination of the chemical composition of cosmic rays. The design principles, construction and performance in angular resolution, energy threshold and determination of shower parameters are discussed.

^a): Permanent address: A.P.P.I., Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma

^b): Permanent address: Institute for Nuclear Physics, Krakov

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A conceptual design of a 104 km2 detector for the observation of UHE cosmic rays above 1017 eV

Abstract

Cosmic rays at highest energies

Il Nuovo Cim.

A conceptual design of a 10⁴ km² detector for the observation of UHE cosmic rays above 10¹⁷ eV