A comparison of cosmic ray composition measurements at the highest energies |
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| Authors: | BR Dawson R Meyhandan KM Simpson |
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| Institution: | Department of Physics and Mathematical Physics, The University of Adelaide, Australia 5005 |
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| Abstract: | In recent years the Fly's Eye and Akeno groups have presented analyses of the cosmic ray mass composition at energies above 1017 eV. While the analysis of the Fly's Eye group points to a likely change in mass composition from heavy to light at energies above 1018 eV, the Akeno analysis favours an unchanging composition. However, the two groups base their conclusions on simulations using quite different hadronic models. Here we present a comparison of the experiments using the same hadronic model and find that the agreement between the experiments is much improved. Under this model, both experiments measure a composition rich in iron around 1017 eV which becomes lighter at higher energies. However, the agreement is not complete, which indicates scope for improvement of the interaction model, or perhaps the need for a re-examination of the experimental results. |
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