Related papers: Upper limit on the photon fraction in highest-ener…
An upper limit of 16% (at 95% c.l.) is derived for the photon fraction in cosmic rays with energies greater than 10^19 eV, based on observations of the depth of shower maximum performed with the hybrid detector of the Pierre Auger…
In this work the ultra high energy cosmic ray events recorded by the AGASA experiment are analysed. With detailed simulations of the extensive air showers initiated by photons, the probabilities are determined of the photonic origin of the…
We present the interpretation of the muon and scintillation signals of ultra-high-energy air showers observed by AGASA and Yakutsk extensive air shower array experiments. We consider case-by-case ten highest energy events with known muon…
Based on observations of the depth of shower maximum performed with the hybrid detector of the Auger Observatory, an upper limit on the cosmic-ray photon fraction of 26% (at 95% confidence level) is derived for primary energies above 10^19…
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…
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…
By making use of the data on the total signal and on the muon component of the air showers detected by the Yakutsk array, we analyze, in the frameworks of the recently suggested event-by-event approach, how large the fraction of primary…
This paper begins with a pedagogical discussion of the propagation of cosmic rays and the showers produced when a cosmic ray primary hits the upper atmosphere. The paper focusses cosmic rays, with energy > 10^19 eV. Emphasis is placed on…
In a recently proposed model the cosmic rays spectrum at energies above 10^{18} eV can be fitted with a minimal number of unknown parameters assuming that the extragalactic cosmic rays are only protons with a power law source spectrum…
Contrary to earlier expectations, several cosmic ray events with energies above $10^{20}$ eV have been reported by a number of ultra-high energy cosmic ray observatories. According to the AGASA experiment, the flux of such events is well…
Many models for ultra-high energy cosmic rays postulate exotic scenarios to explain the sources or the nature of these particles. A characteristic feature of these models is the prediction of a significant flux of photons at ultra-high…
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…
Seven and a half years of continuous monitoring of giant air showers triggered by ultra high-energy cosmic rays have been recently summarized by the AGASA collaboration. The resulting energy spectrum indicates clearly that the cosmic ray…
Using data from inclined events ($60^{\circ}<\theta<80^{\circ}$) recorded by the Haverah Park shower detector, we show that above 10^19 eV less than 30% of the primary cosmic rays can be photons or iron nuclei at the 95% confidence level.…
The paper describes methods used for the detection of cosmic rays with energies above 10^18 eV (UHECR, UltraHigh Energy Cosmic Rays). It had been anticipated there would be a cutoff in the energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays around 3…
Comparing the signals measured by the surface and underground scintillator detectors of the Yakutsk Extensive Air Shower Array, we place upper limits on the integral flux and the fraction of primary cosmic-ray photons with energies E >…
We search for ultra-high energy photons by analyzing geometrical properties of shower fronts of events registered by the Telescope Array surface detector. By making use of an event-by-event statistical method, we derive upper limits on 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…
Using data from more than ten-years of observations with the Akeno Giant Air Shower Array (AGASA), we published a result that the energy spectrum of ultra-high energy cosmic rays extends beyond the cutoff energy predicted by Greisen, and…
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…