Extensive Air Shower Reconstruction using the timing information from the RF-system of the Astroneu array

The Astroneu cosmic ray telescope is a distributed hybrid array consisting of both scintillator counters and RF antenna detectors used for the detection of extensive air showers (EAS). The array is deployed at the Hellenic Open University campus, on the outskirts of the urban area of Patras in Greece. In the present development phase, the Astroneu telescope includes two stations consisting of 3 scintillation detectors modules (SDM) and one RF antenna while a third station includes 3 particle detectors and 4 RF antennas (3SDM-4RF). In each station, the RF-detectors are operating receiving a common trigger upon a 3-fold coincidence between the particle detectors of the station. In this study we present recent results from the 3SDM-4RF autonomous station related to the estimation of the direction of the incoming cosmic air shower using only the timing information from the 4 RF detectors. The directions of the reconstructed showers using the RF timing are in agreement with the corresponding results using the SDMs timing as well as with the simulation predictions. This verifies that the RF signal emitted from EAS originating form Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR), can be detected even in areas with strong electromagnetic background.

EAS Arrays at High Altitudes Start the Era of UHE γ-ray Astronomy

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.

Direct measurement of upward-going ultrahigh energy dark matter at the Pierre Auger Observatory

It is assumed that two types of dark matter particles exist: superheavy dark matter particles (SHDM), the mass of which ∼ inflaton mass, and light fermion dark matter (DM) particles, which are the ultrahigh energy (UHE) products of the decay of SHDM. The Earth will be taken as a detector to search for the UHE DM particles directly. These upward-going particles, which pass through the Earth and air and interact with nuclei, can be detected by the fluorescence detectors (FD) of the Pierre Auger Observatory (Auger), via fluorescent photons due to the development of an extensive air shower. The numbers and fluxes of expected UHE DM particles are evaluated in the incoming energy range between 1 EeV and 1 ZeV with the different lifetimes of decay of SHDM and mass of Z′. According to the Auger data from 2008 to 2019, the upper limit for UHE DM fluxes is also estimated at 90% confidence limit with the FD of Auger. Finally, it is reasonable to make a conclusion that UHE DM particles could be directly detected in the energy range between O(1 EeV) and O(10 EeV) with the FD of Auger. This might prove whether SHDM particles exist in the Universe.

Modeling and simulation of the R5912 photomultiplier for the LAGO project

We present the results of modeling and simulating the Hamamatsu R5912 photomultiplier tube that is used in most of the sites of the Latin American Giant Observatory (LAGO). The model was compared with data of in-operation water Cherenkov detectors (WCD) installed at Bucaramanga-Colombia and Bariloche-Argentina. The LAGO project is an international experiment that spans across Latin America at different altitudes joining more than 35 institutions of 11 countries. It is mainly oriented to basic research on gamma-ray bursts and space weather phenomena. The LAGO network consists of single or small arrays of WCDs composed mainly by a photomultiplier tube and a readout electronics that acquires single-particle or extensive air shower events triggered by the interaction of cosmic rays with the Earth atmosphere.

Modeling and simulation of the R5912 photomultiplier for the LAGO project

We present the results of modeling and simulating the Hamamatsu R5912 photomultiplier tube that is used in most of the sites of the Latin American Giant Observatory (LAGO). The model was compared with data of in-operation water Cherenkov detectors (WCD) installed at Bucaramanga-Colombia and Bariloche-Argentina. The LAGO project is an international experiment that spans across Latin America at different altitudes joining more than 35 institutions of 11 countries. It is mainly oriented to basic research on gamma-ray bursts and space weather phenomena. The LAGO network consists of single or small arrays of WCDs composed mainly by a photomultiplier tube and a readout electronics that acquires single-particle or extensive air shower events triggered by the interaction of cosmic rays with the Earth atmosphere.

Determination of Zenith Angle Dependence of Incoherent Cosmic Ray Muon Flux Using Smartphones of the CREDO Project

The Cosmic-Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) was established to detect and study ultra high-energy cosmic ray particles. In addition to making use of traditional methods for finding rare and extended cosmic ray events such as professional-grade Extensive Air Shower (EAS) arrays, as well as educational ‘class-room’ detectors, CREDO also makes use of cameras in smartphones as particle detectors. Beyond the primary scientific goal of the CREDO project, to detect Cosmic Ray Ensembles, is the equally important educational goal of the project. To use smartphones for EAS detection, it is necessary to demonstrate that they are capable of effectively registering relativistic charged particles. In this article, we show that the events recorded in the CREDO project database are indeed tracing incoherent cosmic ray muons. The specific observed distribution of zenith angle of charged particle direction corresponds to that expected for muons. It is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine different mechanisms leading to such a distribution, and we believe it clearly demonstrates the suitability of smartphone-based detectors in supporting the more traditional cosmic ray detectors.