Investigation of the structure of a muon disk for E 0 ≥ 5 × 1016 eV according to data of the Yakutsk array for studying extensive air showers

Abstract

The results are presented that were obtained at the Yakutsk array by investigating the time structure of a muon disk in extensive air showers of primary energy in the region E0 ≥ 5 × 1016 eV at distances of 250 to 1500 m from the shower core. The measurements were performed with a large muon detector that has an area of 184 m2 and a detection threshold of Eµ≈0.5secθ GeV and which began operating in November 1995. Two components having different muon-disk thicknesses were discovered, and this requires strong modifications in the currently prevalent idea of the development of extensive air showers. The problem of the existence of E0 ≥ 1020 eV events is considered.