Particle Physics with the Pierre Auger Observatory

TL;DR

The Pierre Auger Observatory is a large hybrid detector that measures extensive air showers to study high-energy particle interactions, test models, and address muon deficits at energies beyond current colliders.

Contribution

This paper details the capabilities of the Pierre Auger Observatory in measuring high-energy air showers and testing hadronic interaction models at energies exceeding collider reach.

Findings

Extraction of p-air cross-section at ultra-high energies.

Testing of hadronic interaction models using air shower observables.

Addressing the muon deficit problem in air shower simulations.

Abstract

The Pierre Auger Observatory is the largest extensive air shower detector. Based on a hybrid system, this experiment measures the longitudinal shower development and the particles at the ground. This detection system allows the extraction of the p-air cross-section at energies much higher than the ones accessible by current colliders. It is also possible to test hadronic interaction models using correlations between different air shower observables, like the depth of shower maximum and the muon number at the ground and their fluctuations. Thanks to the low energy extension of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the muon deficit in air shower simulations can be addressed over almost three decades at the highest energies.