Demonstrating of Cosmic Ray Characteristics by Estimating the Cherenkov Light Lateral Distribution Function for Yakutsk Array as a Function of the Zenith Angle

TL;DR

This paper simulates Cherenkov light distributions in extensive air showers for various primary particles at different zenith angles using CORSIKA, and compares the parameterized functions with actual Yakutsk array measurements to understand cosmic ray characteristics.

Contribution

It introduces a new parameterization of the Cherenkov light lateral distribution function as a function of zenith angle for different primary particles at 3 PeV energy, validated against Yakutsk data.

Findings

Parameterizations match well with Yakutsk measurements.

Differences observed among primary particle types.

Provides a tool for cosmic ray composition analysis.

Abstract

Cherenkov light lateral distribution function (CLLDF) in Extensive Air Showers (EAS) for different primary particles (e-, n , p, F, K and Fe) was simulated using CORSIKA code for conditions and configurations of Yakutsk EAS array with the fixed primary energy 3 PeV around the knee region at different zenith angles. Basing on the results of CLLDF numerical simulation, sets of approximated functions are reconstructed for different primary particles as a function of the zenith angle. A comparison of the parameterized CLLDF with that simulated with Yakutsk EAS array is verified. The parameterized CLLDF also is compared with that measured on the Yakutsk EAS array.