Related papers: Photon decay in UHE air showers: stringent bound o…
In extensive air showers induced by ultra-high energy (UHE) cosmic rays, secondary particles are produced with energies far above those accessible by other means. These extreme energies can be used to search for new physics. We study the…
We point out that violation of Lorentz invariance affects the interaction of high-energy photons with the Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field. In certain parameter region this interaction becomes suppressed and the photons escape…
Cosmic rays have extremely high particle energies (up to $10^{20} \; \text{eV}$) and can be used to search for violations of Lorentz invariance. We consider isotropic nonbirefringent Lorentz violation in the photon sector for the case of a…
We consider a theory with isotropic nonbirefringent Lorentz violation in the photon sector and explore the effects on the development of the electromagnetic component of extensive air showers in the Earth atmosphere. Specifically, we…
Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory~(LHAASO) opens the window of ultra-high-energy~(UHE) photon detection, broadens the path of testing basic physical concept such as Lorentz symmetry, and brings possibility of potential high-energy…
We show that violation of the Lorentz symmetry in quantum electrodynamics can suppress the rates of the interactions crucial for the formation of photon-induced air showers, such as pair production on nuclei and in the geomagnetic field. As…
In the last years a general consensus has emerged on the use of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) data as a powerful probe of the validity of special relativity. This applies in particular to the propagation of cosmic rays from their…
We discuss the effect of hypothetical violation of Lorentz invariance at high energies on the formation of atmospheric showers by very-high-energy gamma rays. In the scenario where Lorentz invariance violation leads to a decrease of the…
We present a new method to derive an upper limit on the ultra-high-energy (UHE) photon flux above a given energy, using the Auger SD events. As previous studies, it takes advantage of the fundamental differences between showers induced by…
The first interactions of photon-induced showers are of electromagnetic nature, and the transfer of energy to the hadron/muon channel is reduced with respect to the bulk of hadron-induced showers. This results in a lower number of secondary…
A method is developed to search for air showers initiated by photons using data recorded by the surface detector of the Auger Observatory. The approach is based on observables sensitive to the longitudinal shower development, the signal…
We describe a method to analyse inclined air showers produced by ultra high energy cosmic rays using an analytical description of the muon densities. We report the results obtained using data from inclined events…
We propose an innovative test of Lorentz symmetry by observing pairs of simultaneous parallel extensive air showers produced by the fragments of ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray nuclei which disintegrated in collisions with solar photons. We…
From direct observations of the longitudinal development of ultra-high energy air showers performed with the Pierre Auger Observatory, upper limits of 3.8%, 2.4%, 3.5% and 11.7% (at 95% c.l.) are obtained on the fraction of cosmic-ray…
Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays that produce giant extensive showers of charged particles and photons when they interact in the Earth's atmosphere provide a unique tool to search for new physics. Of particular interest is the possibility of…
We report a calculation of the expected rate of inclined air showers induced by ultra high energy cosmic rays to be obtained by the Auger Southern Observatory assuming different mass compositions. We describe some features that can be used…
Experimental conclusions from air shower observations on cosmic-ray photons above 10^19 eV are based on the comparison to detailed shower simulations. For the calculations, the photonuclear cross-section needs to be extrapolated over…
Quantum gravity theories often modify spacetime symmetries. In particular, Lorentz invariance may be violated when approaching the Planck scale. Although the scales at which interactions occur in extensive air showers induced by…
The latest observations of extensive air showers (EAS) induced by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR) appear to indicate, prima facie, a transition to heavy primaries at the highest energies. However, this interpretation, which is based…
The Pierre Auger Observatory is the most sensitive instrument to detect photons with energies above $10^{17}$ eV. It measures extensive air showers generated by ultra high energy cosmic rays using a hybrid technique that exploits the…