The maximum depth of shower with E sub 0 larger than 10(17) eV on average characteristics of EAS different components

The extensive air shower (EAS) development model independent method of the determination of a maximum depth of shower (X sub m) is considered. X sub m values obtained on various EAS parameters are in a good agreement

Lateral distribution on charged particles in EAS

Lateral distribution of charged particles which allow for the finiteness of energy gamma-quanta, the inhomogeneity of the atmosphere and the experimental selection of EAS are needed to interpret experimental data. The effects of finiteness of energy of gamma-quanta which produce the partial electron-photon cascades were considered by substituting K R sub m instead of R sub m in NKG approximation where K was found to be 0.56 from comparison with the experimental data. New results on the lateral distribution of electrons in the partial cascades from gamma-quanta were obtained. It is shown that the coefficient K can be regarded as a constant. The last approximation of K was found to be most adequate when compared with the experimental data. The inhomogeneity of the atmosphere, muons and experimental selection are considered. The calculation of Ne are extended from 100,000 to 10 million for sea level and for Akeno level

Estimation of composition of cosmic rays with E sub zero approximately equals 10(17) - 10(18) eV

Fluctuations of the shower maximum depth obtained from analysis of electron and muon fluctuations and the extensive air showers (EAS) Cerenkov light on the Yakutsk array data and data of other arrays are considered. On the basis of these the estimation of composition of primaries with E sub 0 = 5.10 to the 17th power eV is received. Estimation of gamma-quanta flux with E sub 0 10 to the 17th power eV is given on the poor-muon showers

The use of the Cherenkov radiation and the fluorescence light to calibrate the energy of giant air showers

In terms of the quark-gluon string model the analysis of the classic procedure to estimate the energy of giant air showers with help of the parameter s(600) (a density of energy deposition in the scintillator at a distance of 600 m from the shower core) have been carried out. Simulations of the signal s(600) with help of the CORSIKA code in terms of the hybrid scheme show energy estimates which are approximately a factor of 1.6 times lower than adopted at the Yakutsk array. The energy estimates calculated with the help of the Cherenkov radiation coincide with the experimental data. Simulations of deposited energy distributions in the atmosphere with help of the GEANT4 code and the CORSIKA code show that more than 20% of this energy may be deposited at distances above 100 m from the shower axis.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

IceCube-Plus: An Ultra-High Energy Neutrino Telescope

While the first kilometer-scale neutrino telescope, IceCube, is under construction, alternative plans exist to build even larger detectors that will, however, b e limited by a much higher neutrino energy threshold of 10 PeV or higher rather than 10 to 100 GeV. These future projects detect radio and acoustic pulses as w ell as air showers initiated by ultra-high energy neutrinos. As an alternative, we here propose an expansion of IceCube, using the same strings, placed on a gri d with a spacing of order 500 m. Unlike other proposals, the expanded detector uses methods that are understood and calibrated on atmospheric neutrinos. Atmosp heric neutrinos represent the only background at the energies under consideratio n and is totally negligible. Also, the cost of such a detector is understood. We conclude that supplementing the 81 IceCube strings with a modest number of addi tional strings spaced at large distances can almost double the effective volume of the detector. Doubling the number of strings on a 800 m grid can deliver a d etector that this a factor of 5 larger for horizontal muons at modest cost.Comment: Version to be published in JCA

Testing of the VENUS 4.12, DPMJET 2.55, QGSJET II-03 and SIBYLL 2.3 hadronic interaction models via help of the atmospheric vertical muon spectra

Uncertainties of the model energy spectra of the most energetic secondary π± -mesons (and K± -mesons) are discussed. Computer simulations of the partial energy spectra of the atmospheric vertical muons induced by primary cosmic particles with various fixed energies in interval 102 −107 GeV in terms of the VENUS 4.12, DPMJET 2.55, QGSJET II-03 and SIBYLL 2.3 models had been carried out with help of CORSIKA package. These partial spectra should be convoluted with the contemporary spectra of the primary cosmic particles. Results of simulations are compared with the contemporary atmospheric vertical muon flux data. Comparison shows that all models underestimate production of secondary π± -mesons (and K± -mesons) by factor of ∼ 2 at the most high energies. This underestimation induces more rapid development of extensive air showers in the atmosphere and results in uncertainties in estimates of energy and composition of the primary cosmic particles