Total inelasticity in p14N interactions at 103-104 TeV

Abstract

A number of characteristics of groups of the highest energy particles in extensive air showers (so-called gamma h-families) measured in the cosmic ray Pamir experiment and the data from the Tian-Shan extensive air shower experiment were compared with those simulated using three different h14N interaction models distinguished mainly by the dependence of the total inelasticity on energy: namely increasing, constant and decreasing. The chemical composition of the primary cosmic rays varied from so-called normal to extremely enriched by heavy nuclei. The detection of gamma h-families in emulsion chambers was also simulated. On the basis of the comparison, we conclude that the total inelasticity in h14N interactions up to laboratory energy of 104 TeV is greater than 0.55, and that an energy-independent value of 0.55 is in contradiction with the data we consider at any cross-section which is consistent with the cosmic ray experimental data and for any composition of primary cosmic rays from so-called normal to super-heavy. The quark gluon string model with ktot increasing up to 0.84 at 104 TeV and the inelastic charge-exchange probability of 0.3-0.5 fits well the data used.