Energy spectrum and mass composition of the primary cosmic rays based on the intensity of muon bundles detected in the NEVOD-DECOR experiment

TL;DR

This paper analyzes muon bundle data from the NEVOD-DECOR experiment to estimate the energy spectrum and mass composition of primary cosmic rays across a wide energy range, using a novel local muon density spectra method.

Contribution

It introduces an original method for studying the muon component of air showers and provides new estimates of cosmic ray energy spectrum and composition from 2 PeV to 3 EeV.

Findings

Estimated cosmic ray energy spectrum from 2 PeV to 3 EeV.

Observed variation in mass composition with energy.

Comparison with other experimental data shows consistency.

Abstract

The results of the analysis of the NEVOD-DECOR data on the study of inclined muon bundles (with zenith angles from 40 to 85 degrees) of cosmic rays for the period from 2012 to 2023 are presented. An original method for studying the muon component of extensive air showers, local muon density spectra, was used. The data are compared with the calculations based on the simulation of air showers using the CORSIKA program for different models of hadronic interactions. The estimates of the energy spectrum and the behavior of the mass composition of primary cosmic rays in a wide energy range from 2 PeV to 3 EeV were obtained. They are compared with the data of other experiments.