Status of the CORSIKA 8 particle-shower simulation code

TL;DR

CORSIKA 8 is a modern, modular C++ rewrite of the longstanding CORSIKA 7 simulation code, enhancing maintainability, flexibility, and extending capabilities for simulating extensive air showers with improved physics modeling.

Contribution

This paper introduces CORSIKA 8, a comprehensive re-implementation of CORSIKA 7 in C++, with new features like multi-media support and advanced radio emission calculations.

Findings

CORSIKA 8 supports multiple high-energy interaction models.

Validation results show accurate simulation of air showers.

Enhanced radio emission calculations improve observational predictions.

Abstract

For over two decades, CORSIKA 7 and its previous versions have been the leading Monte Carlo code for simulating extensive air showers. However, its monolithic Fortran-based software design and hand-optimized code has created challenges for maintenance, adaptation to new computing paradigms, and extensions for more complex simulations. Addressing these limitations, the CORSIKA 8 project represents a comprehensive rewrite of CORSIKA 7, seeing its core functionality re-envisioned in a modern and modular C++ framework. CORSIKA 8 has now reached a "physics-complete" state, offering a robust platform that encourages expert development for specialized applications. It supports high-energy hadronic interactions using models such as Sibyll 2.3d, QGSJet-II.04, EPOS-LHC, and Pythia 8.3, alongside the treatment of electromagnetic cascades with PROPOSAL 7.6.2. Key highlights are the support for multiple interaction media, including cross-media particle showers, and an enhanced calculation of radio emissions from particle showers. This contribution provides an overview of the current functionalities, showcases validation results of its simulations, and discusses future development plans.