Techniques for Measuring Aerosols using the Central Laser Facility at the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory in Malargüe, Argentina, is designed to study the properties of ultra-high energy cosmic rays with energies above 1018eV. It is a hybrid facility that employs a Fluorescence Detector to perform nearly calorimetric measurements of Extensive Air Shower energies. To obtain r...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Abreu, P., Aglietta, M., Ahlers, M., Ahn, E. J., Albuquerque, I. F. M., Allekotte, Ingomar, Almela, Daniel Alejandro, Asorey, Hernán Gonzalo, Ávila, G., Bertou, Xavier Pierre Louis, Dasso, Sergio Ricardo, de la Vega, Gonzalo Andrés, Dova, Maria Teresa, Etchegoyen, Alberto, Figueira, Juan Manuel, Filevich, Alberto, Gamarra, R. F., Fuster, Alan Ezequiel, Garcia, Beatriz Elena, Gitto, J., Golup, Geraldina Tamara, Gómez Albarracín, Flavia Alejandra, Gomez Berisso, Mariano, Gómez Vitale, P. F., Guardincerri, Yann, Hampel, Matias Rolf, Hansen, Patricia Maria, Harari, Diego Dario, Jarne, Cecilia Gisele, Josebachuili Ogando, Mariela Gisele, Kleinfeller, J., Mariazzi, Analisa Gabriela, Marin, J., Masías Meza, Jimmy Joel, Melo, Diego Gabriel, Micheletti, Maria Isabel, Mollerach, Maria Silvia, Moreno, Juan Cruz, Pallotta, Juan Vicente, Piegaia, Ricardo Nestor, Pieroni, Pablo Emanuel, Platino, Manuel, Ponce, Victor Hugo, Quel, Eduardo Jaime, Ravignani Guerrero, Diego, Ristori, J., Rodriguez Martino, Julio César, Rodriguez Rojo, J., Roulet, Esteban, Rovero, Adrian Carlos, Sanchez, Federico Andrés, Sato, R., Schröder, F. G., Sciutto, Sergio Juan, Sidelnik, Iván Pedro, Suarez, Federico, Squartini, R., Supanitsky, Alberto Daniel, Tapia Casanova, Alex Marcelo, Tiffenberg, Javier Sebastian, Wahlberg, Hernan Pablo, Wainberg, Oscar Isaac, Wundheiler, Brian, Zepeda, A., Zhou, J., Zhu, Y., Zimbres Silva, M., Ziolkowski, M.
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2013
Country:Argentina
Institution:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repository:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/29318
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/29318
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Pierre Auger Observatory
Energy cosmic rays
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Description
Summary:The Pierre Auger Observatory in Malargüe, Argentina, is designed to study the properties of ultra-high energy cosmic rays with energies above 1018eV. It is a hybrid facility that employs a Fluorescence Detector to perform nearly calorimetric measurements of Extensive Air Shower energies. To obtain reliable calorimetric information from the FD, the atmospheric conditions at the observatory need to be continuously monitored during data acquisition. In particular, light attenuation due to aerosols is an important atmospheric correction. The aerosol concentration is highly variable, so that the aerosol attenuation needs to be evaluated hourly. We use light from the Central Laser Facility, located near the center of the observatory site, having an optical signature comparable to that of the highest energy showers detected by the FD. This paper presents two procedures developed to retrieve the aerosol attenuation of fluorescence light from CLF laser shots. Cross checks between the two methods demonstrate that results from both analyses are compatible, and that the uncertainties are well understood. The measurements of the aerosol attenuation provided by the two procedures are currently used at the Pierre Auger Observatory to reconstruct air shower data.

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