The Pierre Auger Observatory

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The Pierre Auger Observatory
for the Study of the Highest Energy
Cosmic Rays

James W. Cronin Novosibirsk February 27, 2006
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Some Fond Memories
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The Pierre Auger Observatory
for the Study of the Highest Energy
Cosmic Rays

James W. Cronin Novosibirsk February 27, 2006
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1020 eV proton 16 joules energy Kinetic energy
of Maria Sharapova s second serve But momentum
of a snail Macroscopic energy in A microscopic
particle No known astrophysical sources seem
able to produce such enormous energies 1/ km2/
century 3000 km2 -gt 30 events / year
Simon Swordy University of Chicago
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proton ?cmb -gt ? nucleon
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Andrey Kravtsov Kavli Center University of Chicago
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Two techniques detect shower particles
on the ground detect air
fluorescence produced by shower
particles
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Malargue ?
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Monday Jan 9 2006 930 operating tanks (with
electronics) 1100 tanks installed 1080 with
water
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The Surface ArrayDetector Station
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Tank deployment
Assembly building
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Surface Detector
GPS timing precision Cosmic Muon
Calibration
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S1000 is Energy parameter
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Signal processing can extract em/muon ratio
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32 stations
Event 762577 Energy 8x1019 eV by inclined
shower algorithm PRELIMINARY !!

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Old Shower pure muons
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Largest event 52 tanks !
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The Fluorescence Detector Los Leones
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aerial view of Los Leones fluorescence station
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tanks aligned seen from Los Leones (test your
eyes)
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tanks aligned seen from Los Leones (zoomed)
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Atmospheric Monitoringand Fluorescence Detector
Calibration
Atmospheric Monitoring
Absolute Calibration

• Central Laser Facility (laser optically linked to
  adjacent surface detector tank)
• Atmospheric monitoring
• Calibration checks
• Timing checks

Lidar at each fluorescence eye for atmospheric
profiling - shooting the shower
Drum for uniform illumination of each
fluorescence camera part of end to end
calibration .
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SD energy 1019.8
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A perfect hybrid event few are as beautiful
as this one !
Miguel Mostafa New Mexico/Utah
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Key feature of the Auger Observatory Hybrid
measurements Calibration of energy and shower
geometry by fluorescence telescope
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Chii vs time
Mono 26.15 0.55 km
Hybrid 25.96 0.02 km
Calibration with central laser facility and
Celeste
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Measured Not simulated
By Tokonatsu Yamamoto University of Chicago
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Measured , not simulated
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Normalized to 1.0 at sec theta 1.27 or theta
38 deg
Attenuation curve by constant intensity
technique Measured from data not simulated
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Southern Hemisphere
Systematic error in energy 25 Preliminary!
Exposure 1.03x1017 m2 sr sec 2 x AGASA
exposure 0.5 Auger years
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Southern Hemisphere
Systematic error in energy 25
Preliminary
Exposure 1.03x1017 m2 sr sec 2 x AGASA
exposure 0.5 Auger years
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Northern Site
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Lamar ?
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Northern Site Southeastern Colorado
Energy 1019 eV 1.6 km square grid
(mile) Tanks with 1 pmt only A single FD 300
x 3600 Up to 22,000 km2 possible
? Lamar