The Tunka-Rex Experiment for the Detection of the Air-Shower Radio Emission (ARENA 2014)

TL;DR

The Tunka-Rex experiment investigates radio emission from air showers to improve understanding of high-energy cosmic rays, using coincident measurements with Cherenkov detection for calibration and parameter reconstruction.

Contribution

This study presents the deployment, methodology, and initial results of Tunka-Rex, a novel radio detection array for cosmic ray air showers with cross-calibration capabilities.

Findings

Successful deployment of 25 antennas over 3 km^2

First results on air-shower parameter reconstruction

Potential for improved energy and composition measurements

Abstract

The Tunka-Rex experiment (Tunka Radio Extension) has been deployed in 2012 at the Tunka Valley (Republic of Buryatia, Russia). Its purpose is to investigate methods for the energy spectrum and the mass composition of high-energy cosmic rays based on the radio emission of air showers. Tunka-Rex is an array of 25 radio antennas distributed over an area of 3 km^2. The most important feature of the Tunka-Rex is that the air-shower radio emission is measured in coincidence with the Tunka-133 installation, which detects the Cherenkov radiation generated by the same atmospheric showers. Joint measurements of the radio emission and the Cherenkov light provide a unique opportunity for cross calibration of both calorimetric detection methods. The main goal of Tunka-Rex is to determine the precision for the reconstruction of air-shower parameters using the radio detection technique. In this article we present the current status of Tunka-Rex and first results, including reconstruction methods for parameters of the primary cosmic rays.