Time structure of hadrons in extensive air showers and models of high energy hadron interactions

Abstract

The arrival time spectra of hadrons of energy 5-40 GeV in extensive air showers of size 6.7*104-1.8*106 particles have been obtained and compared with the predictions from Monte Carlo calculations based on two different models, the 'fireball' and 'isobar-pionization' models, of high energy collisions. The 'fireball' modal predicts time spectra which are too steep compared to the observed ones. The 'isobar-pionization' model succeeds well in explaining the observed features of the arrival time spectra when increased NN production is taken into account. Thus it has been concluded that in high energy hadron collisions isobaric excitations of the interacting baryons play a very dominant role.