The Rate of cosmic ray showers at large zenith angles: A Step towards the detection of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos by the Pierre Auger Observatory

Mar, 2000
22 pages
Published in:
  • Astropart.Phys. 14 (2000) 109-120
e-Print:

Citations per year

1999200520112017202201234567
Abstract: (arXiv)
It is anticipated that the Pierre Auger Observatory can be used to detect cosmic neutrinos of >10^19 eV that arrive at very large zenith angles. However showers created by neutrino interactions close to the detector must be picked out against a background of similar events initiated by cosmic ray nuclei. As a step towards understanding this background, we have made the first detailed analysis of air showers recorded at Haverah Park (an array which used similar detectors to those planned for the Auger Observatory) with zenith angles above 60 degs. We find that the differential shower rate from 60 degs to 80 degs. can be predicted accurately when we adopt the known primary energy spectrum above 10^17 eV and assume the QGSJET model and proton primaries. Details of the calculation are given.
  • neutrino: cosmic radiation
  • showers: air
  • showers: electromagnetic component
  • muon: flux
  • showers: spatial distribution
  • angular distribution
  • cosmic radiation: energy spectrum
  • background
  • numerical calculations: interpretation of experiments
  • proposed experiment