scholarly journals The Pierre Auger Observatory status and latest results

2019 ◽  
Vol 206 ◽  
pp. 07001
Author(s):  
Corinne Berat

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays represent the most energetic particles available to scientists. These particles have macroscopic energies, exceeding 1 EeV,but their detectionisa challenge, their flux beingvery weak, around one particle per square kilometer per century for the highest energies. The Pierre Auger Observatory, in Argentina, is the present flagship experiment studying ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The combination of a large array of surface detectors covering 3000 km2 and fluorescence telescopes enhances the performances of the extensive air shower detection and measurements, resulting in both high statistics and unprecedented data quality. Moreover, the operation of a denser sub-array has extended the sensitivity to lower energies. Altogether, these well performing detectors contribute to providing important information on key questions on cosmic rays in the energy range from 0.1 EeV up to 100 EeV, as highlighted in this presentation of the latest results obtained by the Pierre Auger Collaboration. Despite a large number of valuable results, the understanding of the nature and the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays remains an open science case that the Auger Collaboration is willing to address with the AugerPrime project.

Universe ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 339
Author(s):  
Zhen Cao

The evolution of extensive air shower detection as a technique for γ-ray astronomical instrumentation for the last three decades is reviewed. The first discoveries of galactic PeVatrons by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory demonstrate the importance of this technique in ultra-high energy γ-ray astronomy. Utilizing this technique, the origins of high energy cosmic rays may be discovered in the near future.


2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (supp02) ◽  
pp. 50-56
Author(s):  
◽  
PETER SCHIFFER

The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world's largest experiment for the measurement of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). These UHECRs are assumed to be to be charged particles, and thus are deflected in cosmic magnetic fields. Recent results of the Pierre Auger Observatory addressing the complex of energy ordering of the UHECRs arrival directions are reviewed in this contribution. So far no significant energy ordering has been observed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 221-229
Author(s):  
◽  
J. R. T. DE MELLO NETO

We present the status and the recent measurements from the Pierre Auger Observatory. The energy spectrum is described and its features discussed. We report searches for anisotropy of cosmic rays arrival directions in large scales and through correlation with catalogues of celestial objects. The measurement of the cross section proton-air is discussed. Finally, the mass composition is addressed with the measurements of the variation of the depth of shower maximum with energy and with the muon density at ground.


Author(s):  
A. Aab ◽  
◽  
P. Abreu ◽  
M. Aglietta ◽  
J. M. Albury ◽  
...  

Abstract The hybrid design of the Pierre Auger Observatory allows for the measurement of the properties of extensive air showers initiated by ultra-high energy cosmic rays with unprecedented precision. By using an array of prototype underground muon detectors, we have performed the first direct measurement, by the Auger Collaboration, of the muon content of air showers between $$2\times 10^{17}$$2×1017 and $$2\times 10^{18}$$2×1018 eV. We have studied the energy evolution of the attenuation-corrected muon density, and compared it to predictions from air shower simulations. The observed densities are found to be larger than those predicted by models. We quantify this discrepancy by combining the measurements from the muon detector with those from the Auger fluorescence detector at $$10^{{17.5}}\, {\mathrm{eV}} $$1017.5eV and $$10^{{18}}\, {\mathrm{eV}} $$1018eV. We find that, for the models to explain the data, an increase in the muon density of $$38\%$$38%$$\pm 4\% (12\%)$$±4%(12%)$$\pm {}^{21\%}_{18\%}$$±18%21% for EPOS-LHC, and of $$50\% (53\%)$$50%(53%)$$\pm 4\% (13\%)$$±4%(13%)$$\pm {}^{23\%}_{20\%}$$±20%23% for QGSJetII-04, is respectively needed.


2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (supp01) ◽  
pp. 192-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. ARDOUIN ◽  
A. BELLETOILE ◽  
D. CHARRIER ◽  
R. DALLIER ◽  
L. DENIS ◽  
...  

The CODALEMA experimental device currently detects and characterizes the radio contribution of cosmic ray air showers : arrival directions and electric field topologies of radio transient signals associated to cosmic rays are extracted from the antenna signals. The measured rate, about 1 event per day, corresponds to an energy threshold around 5.1016eV. These results allow to determine the perspectives offered by the present experimental design for radiodetection of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays at a larger scale.


2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (18) ◽  
pp. 1350075
Author(s):  
HANG BAE KIM

We study the anisotropy in the arrival directions of Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), using the point source correlational angular distance distribution (CADD). The result shows that the anisotropy is characterized by one prominent excess region and one void region. The excess region is located near the Centaurus A direction, supporting that the Centaurus A is a promising UHECR source. The void region near the south pole direction may be used to limit the diffuse isotropic background contribution.


2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (7) ◽  
pp. 646
Author(s):  
I. Valiño

We highlight the main results obtained by the Pierre Auger Collaboration in its quest to unveil the mysteries associated with the nature and origin of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays, the highest-energy particles in the Universe. The observatory has steadily produced high-quality data for more than 15 years, which have already led to a number of major breakthroughs in the field contributing to the advance of our understanding of these extremely energetic particles. The interpretation of our measurements so far opens new questions which will be addressed by the on-going upgrade of the Pierre Auger Observatory.


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