David Schmidt Karlsruhe

Estimating muonic densities via application of matrix formalism to surface scintillator and water Cherenkov detectors(pdf)

Event-by-event identification of cosmic ray primary composition lends itself to enhanced event selection in the search for anisotropic arrival directions. Principally, the number of muons reaching Earth’s surface in an extensive air shower is indicative of composition. The Pierre Auger Observatory seeks to capitalize on this axiom by improving reconstructed muonic density estimates via an upgrade to its surface detector array. This upgrade, consisting of placing a scintillator on top of each existing water Cherenkov detector, exploits the differing response of two detectors to muonic and electromagnetic particles. Exploitation of this difference may be expressed in a matrix formalism (developed elsewhere) whose application to simulated proton and iron showers is presented here.