PRIMARY ENERGY RECONSTRUCTION FROM THE S(500) OBSERVABLE RECORDED WITH THE KASCADE-GRANDE DETECTOR ARRAY

摘要

Previous EAS investigations have shown that the charged particle density becomes independent of the primary mass at large but fixed distances from the shower core and that it can be used as an estimator for the primary energy. The particular radial distance from the shower axis where this effect takes place is dependent on the detector layout. For the KASCADE-Grande experiment, simulation studies have shown it to be around 500 m. A notation 5(500) is used for the charged particle density at this specific distance. We present results on the reconstruction of the primary energy spectrum of cosmic rays from the experimentally recorded 5(500) observable using the KASCADE-Grande array. The constant intensity cut (CIC) method is applied to evaluate the attenuation of the 5(500) observable with the zenith angle. A correction is subsequently applied to correct all recorded 5(500) values for attenuation. The all event 5(500) spectrum is obtained. A calibration of 5(500) values with the primary energy has been worked out by simulations and has been used for conversion thus obtaining the primary energy spectrum (in the energy range accessible to trie KASCADE-Grande array of 10~16-10~18 eV). An evaluation of systematic uncertainties induced by different sources is also given.