Michigan Technological University
Department of Physics

is pleased to announce a colloquium

with

Johana Chirinos Diaz

Department of Physics
Michigan Technological University

Horizontal Air Showers in the Auger Observatory

The Auger Observatory is being constructed by a large international collaboration, of which MTU is part. The goal is to detect the very low rate ultra high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR) and to achieve this, it is planned as a huge observatory. Now, although still under construction, is already the largest observatory in the world.

The UHECR were primarily planned to be detected indirectly through extensive air showers with zenith angles up to 60 degrees. But in the last few years, showers with larger zenith angles have begun to be studied ("Horizontal Air Showers"). Different and important information could be extracted from them.

Horizontal showers can be originated by UHE neutrinos and if detected, would open a new window to the universe, bringing information of some of the most energetic processes. Horizontal showers can also be originated by UHECR and will enlarge the acceptance of the Auger Observatory. These could be a good set of showers to study the muonic component of showers and test hadronic interaction models.

Thursday, November 6, 2003

4:00 p.m., Fisher 139

Refreshments will be served

MTU | Physics | Colloquium