Some problems in the interpretation of underground cosmic-ray data

1968 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. S318-S323 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Barton ◽  
C. T. Stockel

Further data from observations made in a coal-mine are reported. The 20% discrepancy between the intensity at moderate depths underground and that deduced from the sea-level muon spectrum, already indicated by other work, has been confirmed. The possibilities of modifying the spectrum or the ionization-loss expression are discussed.Observations of the angular distribution strengthen the view that the exponent is rather higher than expected. This appears to imply that the K/π ratio must be quite high for muons of a few hundred GeV.The various reports of pairs and groups of muons at different depths underground are reviewed. Regarded as a cosmic-ray component muon pairs are less strongly attenuated underground than any other phenomenon (except neutrinos). The experimental results are discussed in terms of Greisen's semiempirical expression for the intensity of muons in extensive air showers.

1949 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
CBO Mohr

The structure of cosmic ray air showers at sea-level has been studied by an investigation of the burst rate frequency and the transition effect in lead, for cosmic ray bursts occurring simultaneously in two high-pressure ionization chambers with varying separation. Although extensive showers were responsible for all the coincidences observed with the larger chamber separations, they accounted for less than 3 per cent, of the bursts observed with a single chamber. Of the remaining 97 per cent., somewhat more than one-half appear to be due to nuclear disintegrations and the rest either to narrow showers of approximate radius 30 cm. or to the core of an extensive shower of low density. The extensive shower frequency was about 10 times that predicted by theory. The bearing of these results on present views of the origin and development of air showers is discussed.


1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (18) ◽  
pp. 1880-1883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deba Prasad Bhattacharyya

The pion and kaon spectra in the top of the atmosphere have been derived from the satellite data of cosmic ray nucleons by using the Bose-type distribution of secondary mesons produced in the inclusive reactions p + p → π− + X and p + p → K− + X. The derived pion and kaon spectra follow the relations of the form π(Eπ) dEπ = 0.184Eπ−2.6 dEπ and K(Ek) dEk = 0.036 Ek−2.6 dEk. With the help of the diffusion equation for pions and kaons in the atmosphere, the sea level muon spectrum has been derived and the results have been compared with the magnetic spectrograph data of Allkofer, Carstensen, and Dau in the muon momentum range 15–1000 GeV/c. The sea level muon intensity arising from kaon parentage increases with energy.


The rate of energy loss of muons is examined by com paring the observed depth-intensity relation with that predicted from a knowledge of the sea-level energy spectrum of cosmic ray muons. The evidence for each of the parameters entering into the analysis is assessed and estimates are made of the sea-level muon spectrum up to 10000 GeV and the depth-intensity relation down to 7000 m.w.e. The effect of range-straggling on the underground intensities is considered and shown to be important at depths below 1000 m.w.e. Following previous workers the energy loss relation is written as -d E /d x =1.88+0.077 in E ' m / mc 2 + b E MeV g -1 cm 2 , where E ' m is the maximum transferrable energy in a /i-e collision and m is the muon mass. The first two terms give the contribution from ionization (and excitation) loss and the third term is the combined contribution from pair production, bremsstrahlung and nuclear interaction. The best estimate of the coefficient b from the present work is b = (3.95 + 0.25) x 10 -6 g -1 cm 2 over the energy range 500 to 10000 GeV, which is close to the theoretical value of 4.0 x 10 -6 g -1 cm 2 . It is concluded that there is no evidence for any marked anomaly in the energy loss processes for muons of energies up to 10000 GeV.


1961 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 637-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. W. Clark ◽  
J. Earl ◽  
W. L. Kraushaar ◽  
J. Linsley ◽  
B. B. Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

1980 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 607 ◽  
Author(s):  
RW Clay ◽  
GJ Thornton

The attenuation of extensive air showers has been studied using atmospheric Cerenkov techniques. Observations over a range of zenith angles are correlated and an attenuation length of 234 � 38 g cm ? 2 obtained for showers with sea-level sizes of ~ 106 ?


1998 ◽  
Vol 58 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Aglietta ◽  
B. Alpat ◽  
E. D. Alyea ◽  
P. Antonioli ◽  
G. Badino ◽  
...  

1971 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.C. Allkofer ◽  
K. Carstensen ◽  
W.D. Dau

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