On the possibility of radar echo detection of ultra-high energy cosmic ray- and neutrino-induced extensive air showers

摘要

We show that cosmic-ray air showers resulting from primary particles with energies above 10^{18} eV should be straightforward to detect with radar ranging techniques, where the radar echoes are produced by scattering from the column of ionized air produced by the shower. If our analysis is correct, such systems could provide highly complementary measurements of air showers detected in existing and planned ground arrays such as the Fly's Eye or the Auger Project, and crucial additional information for proposed space missions such as OWL/AirWatch. The technique is particularly sensitive to showers that are transverse to and relatively distant from the detector, and is thus effective in characterization of penetrating horizontal showers such as those that might be induced by ultra-high energy neutrino primaries.