Analysis of the hadronic energy spectrum in high-energy cosmic-ray families detected by emulsion chambers

Abstract

We analyze the hadronic energy spectrum for cosmic‐ray families detected by emulsion chambers in the high‐energy region, by means of the solution of diffusion equations for the hadronic cascade induced by one single nucleon in the atmosphere, assuming three different models for the energy distribution function in multiple pion production. We describe the experimental data for the energy of three high‐energy families detected in emulsion chamber of Brazil‐Japan Colloboration (BJC) at Mt. Chacaltaya and of two families detected by Pamir Collaboration (PC). We look also for consistency of the rapidity‐density distribution, obtained for the different hypotheses for multiple pion production above, with accelerator data in the ISR and Collider regions. Finally, the Models are analysed with respect to the energy dependence of the mean inelasticity.