The energy threshold of cosmic ray muon detectors
1980; Elsevier BV; Volume: 171; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/0029-554x(80)90022-1
ISSN1878-3759
AutoresP. R. Blake, W. F. Nash, C. Saltmarsh,
Tópico(s)Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
ResumoThe effect of shielding a muon detector from the soft component of cosmic rays is discussed. A technique is described for calculating the modification of the incident particle spectrum caused by the shielding. Such a calculation yields a more precise, and generally higher, detection threshold energy than that obtained on the basis of the assumption that the particles are entirely at minimum ionization. This technique is specifically applied to the University of Nottingham EAS muon detectors at the Haverah Park detector array. For the lead shielded muon detector at the central station this new calculation yields a threshold momentum for muons of 410 MeV c−1 (±5%) compared with the previously accepted value of 280 MeV c−1.
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