Measuring extensive air showers with Cherenkov light detectors of the Yakutsk array: The energy spectrum of cosmic rays

TL;DR

This study uses Cherenkov light detectors at the Yakutsk array to measure the cosmic ray energy spectrum from 10^15 to 6*10^19 eV, identifying key spectral features and comparing data with models.

Contribution

It presents a detailed measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum using Cherenkov light, including analysis of spectral features and model comparisons.

Findings

Identification of knee and ankle features at 3*10^15 eV and ~10^19 eV

Agreement with previous measurements of spectral features

Comparison of data with models to distinguish galactic and extragalactic components

Abstract

The energy spectrum of cosmic rays in the range 10^15 eV to 6*10^19 eV has been studied using the air Cherenkov light detectors of the Yakutsk array. The total flux of photons produced by relativistic electrons (including positrons as well, hereafter) of extensive air showers in the atmosphere is used as the energy estimator of the primary particle initiating a shower. The resultant differential flux of cosmic rays exhibits, in accordance with previous measurements, a knee and ankle features at energies 3*10^15 and ~10^19 eV, respectively. A comparison of observational data with simulations is made in the knee and ankle regions in order to choose the models of galactic and extragalactic components of cosmic rays which describe better the energy spectrum measured.