69 research outputs found
The neutron 'thunder' accompanying the extensive air shower
Simulations show that neutrons are the most abundant component among
extensive air shower hadrons. However, multiple neutrons which appear with long
delays in neutron monitors nearby the EAS core ('neutron thunder') are mostly
not the neutrons of the shower, but have a secondary origin. The bulk of them
is produced by high energy EAS hadrons hitting the monitors. The delays are due
to the termalization and diffusion of neutrons in the moderator and reflector
of the monitor accompanied by the production of secondary gamma-quanta. This
conclusion raises the important problem of the interaction of EAS with the
ground, the stuff of the detectors and their environment since they have often
hydrogen containing materials like polyethilene in neutron monitors. Such
interaction can give an additional contribution to the signal in the EAS
detectors. It can be particularly important for the signals from scintillator
or water tank detectors at km-long distances from the EAS core where neutrons
of the shower become the dominant component after a few mcsec behind the EAS
front.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, accepted by J.Phys.G: Nucl.Part.Phy
Decrease of atmospheric neutron counts observed during thunderstorms.
We report here, in brief, some results of the observation and analysis of sporadic variations of atmospheric thermal neutron flux during thunderstorms. The results obtained with unshielded scintillation neutron detectors show a prominent flux decrease correlated with meteorological precipitations after a long dry period. No observations of neutron production during thunderstorms were reported during the three-year period of data recording
Construction and On-site Performance of the LHAASO WFCTA Camera
The focal plane camera is the core component of the Wide Field-of-view
Cherenkov/fluorescence Telescope Array (WFCTA) of the Large High-Altitude Air
Shower Observatory (LHAASO). Because of the capability of working under
moonlight without aging, silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) have been proven to be
not only an alternative but also an improvement to conventional photomultiplier
tubes (PMT) in this application. Eighteen SiPM-based cameras with square light
funnels have been built for WFCTA. The telescopes have collected more than 100
million cosmic ray events and preliminary results indicate that these cameras
are capable of working under moonlight. The characteristics of the light
funnels and SiPMs pose challenges (e.g. dynamic range, dark count rate,
assembly techniques). In this paper, we present the design features,
manufacturing techniques and performances of these cameras. Finally, the test
facilities, the test methods and results of SiPMs in the cameras are reported
here.Comment: 45 pages, 21 figures, articl
Does or did the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A operate as a PeVatron?
For decades, supernova remnants (SNRs) have been considered the prime sources
of Galactic Cosmic rays (CRs). But whether SNRs can accelerate CR protons to
PeV energies and thus dominate CR flux up to the knee is currently under
intensive theoretical and phenomenological debate. The direct test of the
ability of SNRs to operate as CR PeVatrons can be provided by ultrahigh-energy
(UHE; ~TeV) -rays. In this context, the historical
SNR Cassiopeia A (Cas A) is considered one of the most promising target for UHE
observations. This paper presents the observation of Cas A and its vicinity by
the LHAASO KM2A detector. The exceptional sensitivity of LHAASO KM2A in the UHE
band, combined with the young age of Cas A, enabled us to derive stringent
model-independent limits on the energy budget of UHE protons and nuclei
accelerated by Cas A at any epoch after the explosion. The results challenge
the prevailing paradigm that Cas A-type SNRs are major suppliers of PeV CRs in
the Milky Way.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, Accepted by the APJ
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