Simple method for solving transport equations describing the propagation of cosmic-ray nucleons in the atmosphere

Abstract

A simple and efficient method is proposed for solving transport equations that describe the propagation of cosmic-ray protons and neutrons in the atmosphere at high energies. It is shown that, upon taking into account a non-power-law character of the primary spectrum, a growth of total cross sections for inelastic nucleon-nucleus interactions, and violation of scaling in such interactions, the effective absorption ranges of nucleons come to be dependent not only on energy but also on the depth in the atmosphere. The results of the calculations are compared with available experimental data.