A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 10^{17} - 10^{17.5} eV from radio observations

S. Buitink; A. Corstanje; H. Falcke; J. R. Hörandel; T. Huege; A. Nelles; J. P. Rachen; L. Rossetto; P . Schellart; O. Scholten; S. ter Veen; S. Thoudam; T. N. G. Trinh; J. Anderson; A. Asgekar; I. M. Avruch; M. E. Bell; M. J. Bentum; G. Bernardi; P. Best; A. Bonafede; F. Breitling; J. W. Broderick; W. N. Brouw; M. Brüggen; H. R. Butcher; D. Carbone; B. Ciardi; J. E. Conway; F. de Gasperin; E. de Geus; A. Deller; R. -J. Dettmar; G. van Diepen; S. Duscha; J. Eislöffel; D. Engels; J. E. Enriquez; R. A. Fallows; R. Fender; C. Ferrari; W. Frieswijk; M. A. Garrett; J. M. Griessmeier; A. W. Gunst; M. P. van Haarlem; T. E. Hassall; G. Heald; J. W. T. Hessels; M. Hoeft; A. Horneffer; M. Iacobelli; H. Intema; E. Juette; A. Karastergiou; V. I. Kondratiev; M. Kramer; M. Kuniyoshi; G. Kuper; J. van Leeuwen; G. M. Loose; P. Maat; G. Mann; S. Markoff; R. McFadden; D. McKay-Bukowski; J. P. McKean; M. Mevius; D. D. Mulcahy; H. Munk; M. J. Norden; E. Orru; H. Paas; M. Pandey-Pommier; V. N. Pandey; M. Pietka; R. Pizzo; A. G. Polatidis; W. Reich; H. J. A. Röttgering; Anna M M Scaife; D. J. Schwarz; M. Serylak; J. Sluman; O. Smirnov; B. W. Stappers; M. Steinmetz; A. Stewart; J. Swinbank; M. Tagger; Y. Tang; C. Tasse; M. C. Toribio; R. Vermeulen; C. Vocks; C. Vogt; R. J. van Weeren; R. A. M. J. Wijers; S. J. Wijnholds; M. W. Wise; O. Wucknitz; S. Yatawatta; P. Zarka; J. A. Zensus

doi:10.1038/nature16976

A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 10^{17} - 10^{17.5} eV from radio observations

S. Buitink, A. Corstanje, H. Falcke, J. R. Hörandel, T. Huege, A. Nelles, J. P. Rachen, L. Rossetto, P . Schellart, O. Scholten, S. ter Veen, S. Thoudam, T. N. G. Trinh, J. Anderson, A. Asgekar, I. M. Avruch, M. E. Bell, M. J. Bentum, G. Bernardi, P. BestA. Bonafede, F. Breitling, J. W. Broderick, W. N. Brouw, M. Brüggen, H. R. Butcher, D. Carbone, B. Ciardi, J. E. Conway, F. de Gasperin, E. de Geus, A. Deller, R. -J. Dettmar, G. van Diepen, S. Duscha, J. Eislöffel, D. Engels, J. E. Enriquez, R. A. Fallows, R. Fender, C. Ferrari, W. Frieswijk, M. A. Garrett, J. M. Griessmeier, A. W. Gunst, M. P. van Haarlem, T. E. Hassall, G. Heald, J. W. T. Hessels, M. Hoeft, A. Horneffer, M. Iacobelli, H. Intema, E. Juette, A. Karastergiou, V. I. Kondratiev, M. Kramer, M. Kuniyoshi, G. Kuper, J. van Leeuwen, G. M. Loose, P. Maat, G. Mann, S. Markoff, R. McFadden, D. McKay-Bukowski, J. P. McKean, M. Mevius, D. D. Mulcahy, H. Munk, M. J. Norden, E. Orru, H. Paas, M. Pandey-Pommier, V. N. Pandey, M. Pietka, R. Pizzo, A. G. Polatidis, W. Reich, H. J. A. Röttgering, Anna M M Scaife, D. J. Schwarz, M. Serylak, J. Sluman, O. Smirnov, B. W. Stappers, M. Steinmetz, A. Stewart, J. Swinbank, M. Tagger, Y. Tang, C. Tasse, M. C. Toribio, R. Vermeulen, C. Vocks, C. Vogt, R. J. van Weeren, R. A. M. J. Wijers, S. J. Wijnholds, M. W. Wise, O. Wucknitz, S. Yatawatta, P. Zarka, J. A. Zensus

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Abstract

Cosmic rays are the highest energy particles found in nature. Measurements of the mass composition of cosmic rays between 10^{17} eV and 10^{18} eV are essential to understand whether this energy range is dominated by Galactic or extragalactic sources. It has also been proposed that the astrophysical neutrino signal comes from accelerators capable of producing cosmic rays of these energies. Cosmic rays initiate cascades of secondary particles (air showers) in the atmosphere and their masses are inferred from measurements of the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum, Xmax, or the composition of shower particles reaching the ground. Current measurements suffer from either low precision, or a low duty cycle and a high energy threshold. Radio detection of cosmic rays is a rapidly developing technique, suitable for determination of Xmax with a duty cycle of in principle nearly 100%. The radiation is generated by the separation of relativistic charged particles in the geomagnetic field and a negative charge excess in the shower front. Here we report radio measurements of Xmax with a mean precision of 16 g/cm^2 between 10^{17}-10^{17.5} eV. Because of the high resolution in $Xmax we can determine the mass spectrum and find a mixed composition, containing a light mass fraction of ~80%. Unless the extragalactic component becomes significant already below 10^{17.5} eV, our measurements indicate an additional Galactic component dominating at this energy range.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16976
Publication status	Published - 2 Mar 2016

Keywords

astro-ph.HE
hep-ex

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Buitink, S., Corstanje, A., Falcke, H., Hörandel, J. R., Huege, T., Nelles, A., Rachen, J. P., Rossetto, L., Schellart, P. ., Scholten, O., Veen, S. T., Thoudam, S., Trinh, T. N. G., Anderson, J., Asgekar, A., Avruch, I. M., Bell, M. E., Bentum, M. J., Bernardi, G., ... Zensus, J. A. (2016). A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 10^{17} - 10^{17.5} eV from radio observations. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16976

@article{d66602673ccc4fd7874c9e97fc645a8a,

title = "A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 10^{17} - 10^{17.5} eV from radio observations",

abstract = "Cosmic rays are the highest energy particles found in nature. Measurements of the mass composition of cosmic rays between 10^{17} eV and 10^{18} eV are essential to understand whether this energy range is dominated by Galactic or extragalactic sources. It has also been proposed that the astrophysical neutrino signal comes from accelerators capable of producing cosmic rays of these energies. Cosmic rays initiate cascades of secondary particles (air showers) in the atmosphere and their masses are inferred from measurements of the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum, Xmax, or the composition of shower particles reaching the ground. Current measurements suffer from either low precision, or a low duty cycle and a high energy threshold. Radio detection of cosmic rays is a rapidly developing technique, suitable for determination of Xmax with a duty cycle of in principle nearly 100%. The radiation is generated by the separation of relativistic charged particles in the geomagnetic field and a negative charge excess in the shower front. Here we report radio measurements of Xmax with a mean precision of 16 g/cm^2 between 10^{17}-10^{17.5} eV. Because of the high resolution in $Xmax we can determine the mass spectrum and find a mixed composition, containing a light mass fraction of ~80%. Unless the extragalactic component becomes significant already below 10^{17.5} eV, our measurements indicate an additional Galactic component dominating at this energy range.",

keywords = "astro-ph.HE, hep-ex",

author = "S. Buitink and A. Corstanje and H. Falcke and H{\"o}randel, {J. R.} and T. Huege and A. Nelles and Rachen, {J. P.} and L. Rossetto and Schellart, {P .} and O. Scholten and Veen, {S. ter} and S. Thoudam and Trinh, {T. N. G.} and J. Anderson and A. Asgekar and Avruch, {I. M.} and Bell, {M. E.} and Bentum, {M. J.} and G. Bernardi and P. Best and A. Bonafede and F. Breitling and Broderick, {J. W.} and Brouw, {W. N.} and M. Br{\"u}ggen and Butcher, {H. R.} and D. Carbone and B. Ciardi and Conway, {J. E.} and Gasperin, {F. de} and Geus, {E. de} and A. Deller and Dettmar, {R. -J.} and Diepen, {G. van} and S. Duscha and J. Eisl{\"o}ffel and D. Engels and Enriquez, {J. E.} and Fallows, {R. A.} and R. Fender and C. Ferrari and W. Frieswijk and Garrett, {M. A.} and Griessmeier, {J. M.} and Gunst, {A. W.} and Haarlem, {M. P. van} and Hassall, {T. E.} and G. Heald and Hessels, {J. W. T.} and M. Hoeft and A. Horneffer and M. Iacobelli and H. Intema and E. Juette and A. Karastergiou and Kondratiev, {V. I.} and M. Kramer and M. Kuniyoshi and G. Kuper and Leeuwen, {J. van} and Loose, {G. M.} and P. Maat and G. Mann and S. Markoff and R. McFadden and D. McKay-Bukowski and McKean, {J. P.} and M. Mevius and Mulcahy, {D. D.} and H. Munk and Norden, {M. J.} and E. Orru and H. Paas and M. Pandey-Pommier and Pandey, {V. N.} and M. Pietka and R. Pizzo and Polatidis, {A. G.} and W. Reich and R{\"o}ttgering, {H. J. A.} and Scaife, {Anna M M} and Schwarz, {D. J.} and M. Serylak and J. Sluman and O. Smirnov and Stappers, {B. W.} and M. Steinmetz and A. Stewart and J. Swinbank and M. Tagger and Y. Tang and C. Tasse and Toribio, {M. C.} and R. Vermeulen and C. Vocks and C. Vogt and Weeren, {R. J. van} and Wijers, {R. A. M. J.} and Wijnholds, {S. J.} and Wise, {M. W.} and O. Wucknitz and S. Yatawatta and P. Zarka and Zensus, {J. A.}",

note = "35 pages, 11 figures, updated version: Pierre Auger Observatory data ICRC 2015 added to Fig 2",

year = "2016",

month = mar,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1038/nature16976",

language = "English",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Springer Nature",

}

Buitink, S, Corstanje, A, Falcke, H, Hörandel, JR, Huege, T, Nelles, A, Rachen, JP, Rossetto, L, Schellart, P, Scholten, O, Veen, ST, Thoudam, S, Trinh, TNG, Anderson, J, Asgekar, A, Avruch, IM, Bell, ME, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Bonafede, A, Breitling, F, Broderick, JW, Brouw, WN, Brüggen, M, Butcher, HR, Carbone, D, Ciardi, B, Conway, JE, Gasperin, FD, Geus, ED, Deller, A, Dettmar, R-J, Diepen, GV, Duscha, S, Eislöffel, J, Engels, D, Enriquez, JE, Fallows, RA, Fender, R, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, Griessmeier, JM, Gunst, AW, Haarlem, MPV, Hassall, TE, Heald, G, Hessels, JWT, Hoeft, M, Horneffer, A, Iacobelli, M, Intema, H, Juette, E, Karastergiou, A, Kondratiev, VI, Kramer, M, Kuniyoshi, M, Kuper, G, Leeuwen, JV, Loose, GM, Maat, P, Mann, G, Markoff, S, McFadden, R, McKay-Bukowski, D, McKean, JP, Mevius, M, Mulcahy, DD, Munk, H, Norden, MJ, Orru, E, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pandey, VN, Pietka, M, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, AG, Reich, W, Röttgering, HJA, Scaife, AMM, Schwarz, DJ, Serylak, M, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Stappers, BW, Steinmetz, M, Stewart, A, Swinbank, J, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, Toribio, MC, Vermeulen, R, Vocks, C, Vogt, C, Weeren, RJV, Wijers, RAMJ, Wijnholds, SJ, Wise, MW, Wucknitz, O, Yatawatta, S, Zarka, P & Zensus, JA 2016, 'A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 10^{17} - 10^{17.5} eV from radio observations', Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16976

TY - JOUR

T1 - A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 10^{17} - 10^{17.5} eV from radio observations

AU - Buitink, S.

AU - Corstanje, A.

AU - Falcke, H.

AU - Hörandel, J. R.

AU - Huege, T.

AU - Nelles, A.

AU - Rachen, J. P.

AU - Rossetto, L.

AU - Schellart, P .

AU - Scholten, O.

AU - Veen, S. ter

AU - Thoudam, S.

AU - Trinh, T. N. G.

AU - Anderson, J.

AU - Asgekar, A.

AU - Avruch, I. M.

AU - Bell, M. E.

AU - Bentum, M. J.

AU - Bernardi, G.

AU - Best, P.

AU - Bonafede, A.

AU - Breitling, F.

AU - Broderick, J. W.

AU - Brouw, W. N.

AU - Brüggen, M.

AU - Butcher, H. R.

AU - Carbone, D.

AU - Ciardi, B.

AU - Conway, J. E.

AU - Gasperin, F. de

AU - Geus, E. de

AU - Deller, A.

AU - Dettmar, R. -J.

AU - Diepen, G. van

AU - Duscha, S.

AU - Eislöffel, J.

AU - Engels, D.

AU - Enriquez, J. E.

AU - Fallows, R. A.

AU - Fender, R.

AU - Ferrari, C.

AU - Frieswijk, W.

AU - Garrett, M. A.

AU - Griessmeier, J. M.

AU - Gunst, A. W.

AU - Haarlem, M. P. van

AU - Hassall, T. E.

AU - Heald, G.

AU - Hessels, J. W. T.

AU - Hoeft, M.

AU - Horneffer, A.

AU - Iacobelli, M.

AU - Intema, H.

AU - Juette, E.

AU - Karastergiou, A.

AU - Kondratiev, V. I.

AU - Kramer, M.

AU - Kuniyoshi, M.

AU - Kuper, G.

AU - Leeuwen, J. van

AU - Loose, G. M.

AU - Maat, P.

AU - Mann, G.

AU - Markoff, S.

AU - McFadden, R.

AU - McKay-Bukowski, D.

AU - McKean, J. P.

AU - Mevius, M.

AU - Mulcahy, D. D.

AU - Munk, H.

AU - Norden, M. J.

AU - Orru, E.

AU - Paas, H.

AU - Pandey-Pommier, M.

AU - Pandey, V. N.

AU - Pietka, M.

AU - Pizzo, R.

AU - Polatidis, A. G.

AU - Reich, W.

AU - Röttgering, H. J. A.

AU - Scaife, Anna M M

AU - Schwarz, D. J.

AU - Serylak, M.

AU - Sluman, J.

AU - Smirnov, O.

AU - Stappers, B. W.

AU - Steinmetz, M.

AU - Stewart, A.

AU - Swinbank, J.

AU - Tagger, M.

AU - Tang, Y.

AU - Tasse, C.

AU - Toribio, M. C.

AU - Vermeulen, R.

AU - Vocks, C.

AU - Vogt, C.

AU - Weeren, R. J. van

AU - Wijers, R. A. M. J.

AU - Wijnholds, S. J.

AU - Wise, M. W.

AU - Wucknitz, O.

AU - Yatawatta, S.

AU - Zarka, P.

AU - Zensus, J. A.

N1 - 35 pages, 11 figures, updated version: Pierre Auger Observatory data ICRC 2015 added to Fig 2

PY - 2016/3/2

Y1 - 2016/3/2

N2 - Cosmic rays are the highest energy particles found in nature. Measurements of the mass composition of cosmic rays between 10^{17} eV and 10^{18} eV are essential to understand whether this energy range is dominated by Galactic or extragalactic sources. It has also been proposed that the astrophysical neutrino signal comes from accelerators capable of producing cosmic rays of these energies. Cosmic rays initiate cascades of secondary particles (air showers) in the atmosphere and their masses are inferred from measurements of the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum, Xmax, or the composition of shower particles reaching the ground. Current measurements suffer from either low precision, or a low duty cycle and a high energy threshold. Radio detection of cosmic rays is a rapidly developing technique, suitable for determination of Xmax with a duty cycle of in principle nearly 100%. The radiation is generated by the separation of relativistic charged particles in the geomagnetic field and a negative charge excess in the shower front. Here we report radio measurements of Xmax with a mean precision of 16 g/cm^2 between 10^{17}-10^{17.5} eV. Because of the high resolution in $Xmax we can determine the mass spectrum and find a mixed composition, containing a light mass fraction of ~80%. Unless the extragalactic component becomes significant already below 10^{17.5} eV, our measurements indicate an additional Galactic component dominating at this energy range.

AB - Cosmic rays are the highest energy particles found in nature. Measurements of the mass composition of cosmic rays between 10^{17} eV and 10^{18} eV are essential to understand whether this energy range is dominated by Galactic or extragalactic sources. It has also been proposed that the astrophysical neutrino signal comes from accelerators capable of producing cosmic rays of these energies. Cosmic rays initiate cascades of secondary particles (air showers) in the atmosphere and their masses are inferred from measurements of the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum, Xmax, or the composition of shower particles reaching the ground. Current measurements suffer from either low precision, or a low duty cycle and a high energy threshold. Radio detection of cosmic rays is a rapidly developing technique, suitable for determination of Xmax with a duty cycle of in principle nearly 100%. The radiation is generated by the separation of relativistic charged particles in the geomagnetic field and a negative charge excess in the shower front. Here we report radio measurements of Xmax with a mean precision of 16 g/cm^2 between 10^{17}-10^{17.5} eV. Because of the high resolution in $Xmax we can determine the mass spectrum and find a mixed composition, containing a light mass fraction of ~80%. Unless the extragalactic component becomes significant already below 10^{17.5} eV, our measurements indicate an additional Galactic component dominating at this energy range.

KW - astro-ph.HE

KW - hep-ex

U2 - 10.1038/nature16976

DO - 10.1038/nature16976

M3 - Article

SN - 0028-0836

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

ER -

A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 10^{17} - 10^{17.5} eV from radio observations

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