Particles of primary cosmic radiation generating extensive air showers of energy above 1020 eV in the atmosphere

Abstract

In order to construct the energy spectrum on the basis of data from the Yakutsk array, a method similar to that employed at the AGASA array is applied in addition to the standard approach based on experimental procedures. Moreover, a new, original, method underlying the calculation of the spectrum in the region of energies above 1020 eV is used to estimate energies. In order to compare data obtained at different arrays, it is proposed to harness the universal spectrum based on HiRes data. Within the QGSJET2 model, it is shown that a shower of energy 2 × 1020 eV was observed at the Yakutsk array. In the same energy region (above 2 × 1020 eV), the AGASA array recorded four showers, while the Fly’s Eye array and Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) recorded one shower each. These data do not confirm the conclusion that the flux of primary-cosmic-ray particles decreases because of the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin effect.