Registration of the signal of a star and PCR sources optical radiation by means of the installation, aimed at the investigation of EAS of high energy cosmic rays

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of star and PCR source optical signals correlated with high-energy cosmic ray air showers, proposing their use for calibration and data merging of EAS detection installations.

Contribution

It introduces a method to identify a specific optical signal from gamma EAS generated by gamma quanta from pi zero decay, aiding calibration of cosmic ray detectors.

Findings

Detection of a statistically significant optical signal peak at EAS size Ne 1.19×10^6

Identification of the signal as gamma EAS from pi zero decay

Proposal for using this signal for calibration and data merging

Abstract

With the help of the experimental installation aimed at the investigation of high energy cosmic rays (Tien-Shan high mountain laboratory) the signal of Solar and star optical radiation is registered. The signal is well provided statistically and possesses the strictly expressed maximum in the region of EAS sizes Ne 1.19 106 particles (primary energy Eo 1.33 1015 eV). This signal is the peak from gamma EAS, generated by gamma quanta from decay of pi zero mesons, photo produced by the Primary Cosmic Radiation (PCR) nuclei on the photons of stars and of PCR sources. The assumption is made, that exactly this process provides the main contribution in the formation of so called knee on the primary spectrum. Due to the universality and distinct maximum of this signal, its usage for independent and reliable calibration of the EAS installations, for the mutual calibration of these installations and, possibly, for the merger of experimental data obtained by means of these installations to increase the statistics, is proposed. It is especially vital to day, when the further essential increase of the energy range under investigation is necessary.