Mastering 3D-detection of Extensive Air Showers in Cherenkov Light

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel 3D detection method for extensive air showers using Cherenkov light, combining two detectors at different stages of shower development to improve cosmic ray composition analysis.

Contribution

It presents a new 3D detection approach for air showers, integrating a Cherenkov telescope and a direct light detector supported by extensive MC modeling.

Findings

Development of a new 3D detection system for EAS.

Successful simulation of shower detection process.

Potential for improved cosmic ray composition studies.

Abstract

A new SPHERE seires complex extensive air showers detector is under development. The main goal of its mission is to study the mass composition of cosmic ray nuclei in the 1-100 PeV energy range at a new level. The already well-established telescope of Cherenkov light reflected from the snow-covered ice surface of Lake Baikal from an altitude of 500-1000 m will be supported by a detector of direct light pointed upward. Since the two detectors will study the same shower at different stages of its development, it could be called a 3D detection, which is completely new for the EAS method. The development is based on an extensive MC modeling of the shower and the detection process using the Supercomputer Complex of the Lomonosov Moscow State University.