Trigger and aperture of the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory


Abstract:

The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory consists of 1600 water-Cherenkov detectors, for the study of extensive air showers (EAS) generated by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. We describe the trigger hierarchy, from the identification of candidate showers at the level of a single detector, amongst a large background (mainly random single cosmic ray muons), up to the selection of real events and the rejection of random coincidences. Such trigger makes the surface detector array fully efficient for the detection of EAS with energy above 3 × 1018 eV, for all zenith angles between 0{ring operator} and 60{ring operator}, independently of the position of the impact point and of the mass of the primary particle. In these range of energies and angles, the exposure of the surface array can be determined purely on the basis of the geometrical acceptance. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Año de publicación:

2010

Keywords:

  • Exposure
  • Extensive air showers
  • Trigger
  • ultra high energy cosmic rays
  • Auger observatory

Fuente:

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