First operation of a double phase LAr Large Electron Multiplier Time Projection Chamber with a two-dimensional projective readout anode

We have previously reported on the construction and successful operation of the novel double phase Liquid Argon Large Electron Multiplier Time Projection Chamber (LAr LEM-TPC). This detector concept provides a 3D-tracking and calorimetric device capable of adjustable charge amplification, a promising readout technology for next-generation neutrino detectors and direct Dark Matter searches. In this paper, we report on the first operation of a LAr LEM-TPC prototype - with an active area of 10$\times$10 cm$^2$ and 21 cm drift length - equipped with a single 1 mm thick LEM amplifying stage and a two dimensional projective readout anode. Cosmic muon events were collected, fully reconstructed and used to characterize the performance of the chamber. The obtained signals provide images of very high quality and the energy loss distributions of minimum ionizing tracks give a direct estimate of the amplification. We find that a stable gain of 27 can be achieved with this detector configuration corresponding to a signal-over-noise ratio larger than 200 for minimum ionizing tracks. The decoupling of the amplification stage and the use of the 2D readout anode offer several advantages which are described in the text.Comment: 25 pages, 17 figure

A Regenerable Filter for Liquid Argon Purification

A filter system for removing electronegative impurities from liquid argon is described. The active components of the filter are adsorbing molecular sieve and activated-copper-coated alumina granules. The system is capable of purifying liquid argon to an oxygen-equivalent impurity concentration of better than 30 parts per trillion, corresponding to an electron drift lifetime of at least 10 ms. Reduction reactions that occur at about 250 degrees Celsius allow the filter material to be regenerated in-situ through a simple procedure. In the following work we describe the filter design, performance, and regeneration process.Comment: 12 pages with 9 figure

The KASCADE-Grande Experiment and the LOPES Project

KASCADE-Grande is the extension of the multi-detector setup KASCADE to cover a primary cosmic ray energy range from 100 TeV to 1 EeV. The enlarged EAS experiment provides comprehensive observations of cosmic rays in the energy region around the knee. Grande is an array of 700 x 700 sqm equipped with 37 plastic scintillator stations sensitive to measure energy deposits and arrival times of air shower particles. LOPES is a small radio antenna array to operate in conjunction with KASCADE-Grande in order to calibrate the radio emission from cosmic ray air showers. Status and capabilities of the KASCADE-Grande experiment and the LOPES project are presented.Comment: To appear in Nuclear Physics B, Proceedings Supplements, as part of the volume for the CRIS 2004, Cosmic Ray International Seminar: GZK and Surrounding

Radio Emission in Atmospheric Air Showers: First Measurements with LOPES-30

When Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays interact with particles in the Earth's atmosphere, they produce a shower of secondary particles propagating toward the ground. LOPES-30 is an absolutely calibrated array of 30 dipole antennas investigating the radio emission from these showers in detail and clarifying if the technique is useful for largescale applications. LOPES-30 is co-located and measures in coincidence with the air shower experiment KASCADE-Grande. Status of LOPES-30 and first measurements are presented.Comment: Proceedings of ARENA 06, June 2006, University of Northumbria, U

Radio detection of cosmic ray air showers with LOPES

In the last few years, radio detection of cosmic ray air showers has experienced a true renaissance, becoming manifest in a number of new experiments and simulation efforts. In particular, the LOPES project has successfully implemented modern interferometric methods to measure the radio emission from extensive air showers. LOPES has confirmed that the emission is coherent and of geomagnetic origin, as expected by the geosynchrotron mechanism, and has demonstrated that a large scale application of the radio technique has great potential to complement current measurements of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. We describe the current status, most recent results and open questions regarding radio detection of cosmic rays and give an overview of ongoing research and development for an application of the radio technique in the framework of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: 8 pages; Proceedings of the CRIS2006 conference, Catania, Italy; to be published in Nuclear Physics B, Proceedings Supplement

Energy Spectra of Elemental Groups of Cosmic Rays: Update on the KASCADE Unfolding Analysis

The KASCADE experiment measures extensive air showers induced by cosmic rays in the energy range around the so-called knee. The data of KASCADE have been used in a composition analysis showing the knee at 3-5 PeV to be caused by a steepening in the light-element spectra. Since the applied unfolding analysis depends crucially on simulations of air showers, different high energy hadronic interaction models (QGSJet and SIBYLL) were used. The results have shown a strong dependence of the relative abundance of the individual mass groups on the underlying model. In this update of the analysis we apply the unfolding method with a different low energy interaction model (FLUKA instead of GHEISHA) in the simulations. While the resulting individual mass group spectra do not change significantly, the overall description of the measured data improves by using the FLUKA model. In addition data in a larger range of zenith angle are analysed. The new results are completely consistent, i.e. there is no hint to any severe problem in applying the unfolding analysis method to KASCADE data.Comment: accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic

A new method to measure the attenuation of hadrons in extensive air showers

Extensive air showers are generated through interactions of high-energy cosmic rays impinging the Earth's atmosphere. A new method is described to infer the attenuation of hadrons in air showers. The numbers of electrons and muons, registered with the scintillator array of the KASCADE experiment are used to estimate the energy of the shower inducing primary particle. A large hadron calorimeter is used to measure the hadronic energy reaching observation level. The ratio of energy reaching ground level to the energy of the primary particle is used to derive an attenuation length of hadrons in air showers. In the energy range from $10^6$ GeV to $3\cdot10^7$ GeV the attenuation length obtained increases from 170 \gcm2 to 210 \gcm2. The experimental results are compared to predictions of simulations based on contemporary high energy interaction models.Comment: accepted for publication in Physical Review

Frequency spectra of cosmic ray air shower radio emission measured with LOPES

AIMS: We wish to study the spectral dependence of the radio emission from cosmic-ray air showers around 100 PeV (1017 eV). METHODS: We observe short radio pulses in a broad frequency band with the dipole-interferometer LOPES (LOFAR Prototype Station), which is triggered by a particle detector array named Karlsruhe Shower Core and Array Detector (KASCADE). LOFAR is the Low Frequency Array. For this analysis, 23 strong air shower events are selected using parameters from KASCADE. RESULTS: The resulting electric field spectra fall off to higher frequencies. An average electric field spectrum is fitted with an exponential, or alternatively, with a power law. The spectral slope obtained is not consistent within uncertainties and it is slightly steeper than the slope obtained from Monte Carlo simulations based on air showers simulated with CORSIKA (Cosmic Ray Simulations for KASCADE). One of the strongest events was measured during thunderstorm activity in the vicinity of LOPES and shows the longest pulse length measured of 110 ns and a spectral slope of -3.6. CONCLUSIONS: We show with two different methods that frequency spectra from air shower radio emission can be reconstructed on event-by-event basis, with only two dozen dipole antennae simultaneously over a broad range of frequencies. According to the obtained spectral slopes, the maximum power is emitted below 40 MHz. Furthermore, the decrease in power to higher frequencies indicates a loss in coherence determined by the shower disc thickness. We conclude that a broader bandwidth, larger collecting area, and longer baselines, as will be provided by LOFAR, are necessary to further investigate the relation of the coherence, pulse length, and spectral slope of cosmic ray air showers.Comment: 13 pages, 21 figures. Nigl, A. et al. (LOPES Collaboration), Frequency spectra of cosmic ray air shower radio emission measured with LOPES, accepted by A&A on 17/06/200

Air Shower Measurements with the LOPES Radio Antenna Array

LOPES is set up at the location of the KASCADE-Grande extensive air shower experiment in Karlsruhe, Germany and aims to measure and investigate radio pulses from Extensive Air Showers. Since radio waves suffer very little attenuation, radio measurements allow the detection of very distant or highly inclined showers. These waves can be recorded day and night, and provide a bolometric measure of the leptonic shower component. LOPES is designed as a digital radio interferometer using high bandwidths and fast data processing and profits from the reconstructed air shower observables of KASCADE-Grande. The LOPES antennas are absolutely amplitude calibrated allowing to reconstruct the electric field strength which can be compared with predictions from detailed Monte Carlo simulations. We report about the analysis of correlations present in the radio signals measured by the LOPES 30 antenna array. Additionally, LOPES operates antennas of a different type (LOPES-STAR) which are optimized for an application at the Pierre Auger Observatory. Status, recent results of the data analysis and further perspectives of LOPES and the possible large scale application of this new detection technique are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, Contribution to the Arena 2008 conference, Rome, June 200