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Stability in energy reconstructions of the highest-energy cosmic rays measured by the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Schmidt, David R.
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Advisor
Sarazin, Frederic
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Date
Date Issued
2014
Date Submitted
2014
Keywords
astroparticle physics
 surface detector
 stability
 Pierre Auger Observatory
 energy reconstruction
 Cosmic rays -- Measurement
 Astrophysics
 Detectors
 Zenith distance
 Anisotropy
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2010-2019 - Mines Theses & Dissertations
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Stability in energy reconstructions of the highest-energy cosmic rays measured by the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
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https://hdl.handle.net/11124/475
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Abstract
Using the data of the Pierre Auger Observatory, this thesis illustrates the instability in surface detector energy reconstructions at low zenith angles via the use of two different, yet valid, lateral distribution functions. These instabilities are shown to result largely from a lack of information constraining the lateral distribution function fit at 1000 m from the shower axis, which is important for the determination of the energy estimator S1000. This lack of constraint is found to be a geometric effect attributed to the interplay between surface detector configuration and detector response. The influence of low zenith angle instabilities in energy reconstruction on energy dependent studies is also demonstrated in the context of a point-source anisotropy scan.
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