Ultra-high energy cosmic ray composition study using the radio detection technique

• Grant number: 15/15735-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Extragalactic Astrophysics
• Principal Investigator: Ivone Freire da Mota e Albuquerque
• Grantee: Washington Rodrigues de Carvalho Junior
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/18876-3 - Optimization of the OVRO-LWA radio array for cosmic-ray detection, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

This project falls in the field of astroparticle physics, more specifically in the area of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. Discrepancies between the results of the major experiments regarding the composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays illustrate the fact that this composition is not yet clear. Thus we propose this project, which focuses in the use of the radio detection technique for composition studies of ultra high energy cosmic rays. We will investigate the radio technique as an alternative and independent method for determining the composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, but also explore how it can be used in conjunction with the more established detection techniques. We will investigate various composition sensitive observables that can be obtained by the radio techinique, such as the behaviour of the frequency spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation (spectral index), Xmax and the ratio between the electromagnetic and muonic componets of inclined showers. We will also develop a multivariate method of composition discrimination, capable of using these new radio observables along with the more traditional ones from other detection techniques, simultaneously. This project will be developed in two fronts. One concerns the application of these new methods to a generic detector. The other, in the context of the Pierre Auger Collaboration, will use the data from the Observatory not only to evaluate the devised methods, but also apply these new approaches to the thousands of radio events obtained with AERA (Auger Engineering Radio Array), part of the Observatory. The aim is to increase both the discrimination capacity and the statistics of composition studies of ultra-high energy cosmic rays by using these new radio observables. (AU)

Scientific publications

(7)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ALVAREZ-MUNIZ, JAIME; BATISTA, RAFAEL ALVES; BALAGOPAL, V, ASWATHI; BOLMONT, JULIEN; BUSTAMANTE, MAURICIO; CARVALHO, JR., WASHINGTON; CHARRIER, DIDIER; COGNARD, ISMAEL; DECOENE, VALENTIN; DENTON, PETER B.; et al. The Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection (GRAND): Science and design. SCIENCE CHINA-PHYSICS MECHANICS & ASTRONOMY, v. 63, n. 1, JAN 2020. (15/15735-1, 17/12828-4)

SCHOORLEMMER, HARM; CARVALHO, JR., WASHINGTON R.. Radio interferometry applied to the observation of cosmic-ray induced extensive air showers. EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL C, v. 81, n. 12, DEC 2021. (15/15735-1)

WISSEL, STEPHANIE; ROMERO-WOLF, ANDRES; SCHOORLEMMER, HARM; CARVALHO, JR., WASHINGTON R.; ALVAREZ-MUNIZ, JAIME; ZAS, ENRIQUE; CUMMINGS, AUSTIN; DEACONU, COSMIN; HUGHES, KAELI; LUDWIG, ANDREW; et al. Prospects for high-elevation radio detection of > 100 PeV tau neutrinos. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, n. 11, NOV 2020. (15/15735-1)

ZILLES, ANNE; MARTINEAU-HUYNH, OLIVIER; KOTERA, KUMIKO; TUEROS, MATIAS; DE VRIES, KRIJN; CARVALHO, JR., WASHINGTON; NIESS, VALENTIN; RENAULT-TINACCI, NICOLAS; DECOENE, VALENTIN. Radio Morphing: towards a fast computation of the radio signal from air showers. Astroparticle Physics, v. 114, p. 10-21, JAN 2020. (15/15735-1)

ALVAREZ-MUNIZ, JAIME; CARVALHO, JR., WASHINGTON R.; PAYET, KEVIN; ROMERO-WOLF, ANDRES; SCHOORLEMMER, HARM; ZAS, ENRIQUE. Comprehensive approach to tau-lepton production by high-energy tau neutrinos propagating through the Earth. Physical Review D, v. 97, n. 2, JAN 26 2018. (15/15735-1)

CARVALHO, JR., WASHINGTON R.; ALVAREZ-MUNIZ, JAIME. Determination of cosmic-ray primary mass on an event-by-event basis using radio detection. Astroparticle Physics, v. 109, p. 41-49, MAY 2019. (15/15735-1, 18/18876-3)

ROMERO-WOLF, A.; WISSEL, S. A.; SCHOORLEMMER, H.; CARVALHO JR, W. R.; ALVAREZ-MUNIZ, J.; ZAS, E.; ALLISON, P.; BANERJEE, O.; BATTEN, L.; BEATTY, J. J.; et al. Comprehensive analysis of anomalous ANITA events disfavors a diffuse tau-neutrino flux origin. Physical Review D, v. 99, n. 6, MAR 18 2019. (15/15735-1)