Abstract
Today, many experiments around the world (Auger Observatory, Telescope Array, and soon Jem-Euso experiment...) are tracking ultra-high energy cosmic rays. They try to collect some exceptional data that would lift the veil on this type of cosmic rays , mainly to answer why does their energies exceed the GZK cutoff without pointing to astrophysical sources close to our galaxy. Furthermore, we do not really know neither the identity nor the acceleration processes that can provide them with such colossal energy. We have performed, using the CONEX program version 2r6.40 coupled to different hadronic interaction models (QGSJET01, EPOS LHC , SIBYLL 2.1 and QGSJETII-04) simulations focused on the slant depth Xmax of the maximum of the shower longitudinal profile and the charged particle number Nmax. Theses parameters and their fluctuations are very sensitive to the primary particle mass (identity) and energy. The obtained results are compared for proton and iron primaries at the energy range 1018-1021 eV.
Highlights
1.1 Primary cosmic raysPrimary cosmic particles with energy higher than 1018 eV are called Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs)
These kind of rays have been measured by two biggest experiments: Auger observatory and Telescope Array (TA)
When penetrating in the Earth atmosphere, the UHECR collides with the nitrogen or oxygen nuclei and produces a large cascade of secondary particles called extensive air shower (EAS)
Summary
Primary cosmic particles with energy higher than 1018 eV are called Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs). A strong decrease or cut-off at about 5×1019 eV This cutoff predicted by Greisen, Zatsepin and Kusmin (GZK) [4, 5] is mainly due to the energy attenuation of protons in the photopion-production interactions with the CMB. The identities of these UHECR with energies above the GZK cutoff remain unknown. When penetrating in the Earth atmosphere, the UHECR collides with the nitrogen or oxygen nuclei and produces a large cascade of secondary particles called extensive air shower (EAS)
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