A novel approach for deducing the mass composition of cosmic rays from lateral densities of EAS particles

Abstract

A Monte Carlo (MC) simulation study of cosmic-ray (CR) extensive air showers (EAS) has been carried out in the energy regime of the KASCADE experiment. From the characteristics of lateral distributions of electrons and muons of simulated EAS, some important EAS observables are extracted by a novel approach, and their CR mass sensitivity is demonstrated. The study takes into account the issue of the experimental lateral density profiles of EAS electrons and muons after introducing the notion of the local age and segmented slope parameters, aimed to extract information on CR mass composition from observed data. The estimated lateral shower age and slope from the analysis of the KASCADE data (KCDC) agrees with the idea of a gradual change of CR mass composition from light to heavy around the knee.