Uncertanties of atmospheric high-energy muon fluxes and spectrum of primary cosmic rays

Abstract

New results of calculations of nucleon, π-and K-meson, and muon fluxes generated during high energy cosmic ray interactions with the Earth’s atmosphere are presented. The calculations are based on the method of solving the nuclear cascade equations with allowance for non-scaling behavior of inclusive hadron production cross sections, increase of cross sections of inelastic hadron-nucleus collisions with energy, and non-power-law character of primary spectrum. The hadron and muon fluxes are calculated at different atmospheric altitude levels for several spectral models and compositions of primary cosmic rays. Results of calculations are compared with recent measurements using the L3+Cosmic and CosmoALEPH facilities.