The Pierre Auger Observatory has been designed to investigate the origin and the nature of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays using a hybrid detection technique. It is located on a plateau in the Province of Mendoza, Argentina, and consists of a surface array of about 3000 km^2 overlooked by 24 air fluorescence telescopes grouped in 4 sites, which together provide a powerful instrument for air shower reconstruction. The combination of information from the surface array, measuring the lateral distributions of secondary particles at the ground, and the fluorescence telescopes, observing the longitudinal profile, enhances the reconstruction capability with respect to the individual detector components. The Observatory was completed in 2008 and it is taking data smoothly since 2004. Moreover, detector enhancements are being constructed to extend the sensitivity of the Observatory towards the lower energies. A review of selected results is presented with the emphasis given to the measurement of energy spectrum, arrival directions, chemical composition and search for photons and neutrinos as primary particles.
Results from the Pierre Auger Observatory
PERRONE, Lorenzo;
2011-01-01
Abstract
The Pierre Auger Observatory has been designed to investigate the origin and the nature of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays using a hybrid detection technique. It is located on a plateau in the Province of Mendoza, Argentina, and consists of a surface array of about 3000 km^2 overlooked by 24 air fluorescence telescopes grouped in 4 sites, which together provide a powerful instrument for air shower reconstruction. The combination of information from the surface array, measuring the lateral distributions of secondary particles at the ground, and the fluorescence telescopes, observing the longitudinal profile, enhances the reconstruction capability with respect to the individual detector components. The Observatory was completed in 2008 and it is taking data smoothly since 2004. Moreover, detector enhancements are being constructed to extend the sensitivity of the Observatory towards the lower energies. A review of selected results is presented with the emphasis given to the measurement of energy spectrum, arrival directions, chemical composition and search for photons and neutrinos as primary particles.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
