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Browsing by Author "Pierre Auger collaboration (504 authors)"

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  • Identifying Clouds over the Pierre Auger Observatory using Infrared Satellite Data
    Publication . Pierre Auger collaboration (504 authors); Abreu, Pedro; Andringa, Sofia; Assis, Pedro; Brogueira, Pedro; Cazon, Lorenzo; Conceição, Ruben; Diogo, Francisco; Espadanal, Joao; Gonçalves, Patrícia; Oliveira, Micael; Pimenta, Mário; Santo, Catarina E; Santos, Eva; Tomé, Bernardo
    We describe a new method of identifying night-time clouds over the Pierre Auger Observatory using infrared data from the Imager instruments on the GOES-12 and GOES-13 satellites. We compare cloud identifications resulting from our method to those obtained by the Central Laser Facility of the Auger Observatory. Using our new method we can now develop cloud probability maps for the 3000 km^2 of the Pierre Auger Observatory twice per hour with a spatial resolution of ~2.4 km by ~5.5 km. Our method could also be applied to monitor cloud cover for other ground-based observatories and for space-based observatories.
    2013-10-03Journal article Unknown Show more
  • Interpretation of the Depths of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers Measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
    Publication . Pierre Auger collaboration (504 authors); Abreu, Pedro; Andringa, Sofia; Assis, Pedro; Brogueira, Pedro; Cazon, Lorenzo; Conceição, Ruben; Diogo, Francisco; Espadanal, Joao; Gonçalves, Patrícia; Oliveira, Micael; Pimenta, Mário; Santo, Catarina E; Santos, Eva; Tomé, Bernardo
    To interpret the mean depth of cosmic ray air shower maximum and its dispersion, we parametrize those two observables as functions of the first two moments of the ln A distribution. We examine the goodness of this simple method through simulations of test mass distributions. The application of the parameterization to Pierre Auger Observatory data allows one to study the energy dependence of the mean ln A and of its variance under the assumption of selected hadronic interaction models. We discuss possible implications of these dependences in term of interaction models and astrophysical cosmic ray sources.
    2013-02-19Journal article Open access Show more