The influence of the atmospheric refractive index on radio Xmax measurements of air showers

Corstanje A, Buitink S, Bonardi A, Falcke H, Hörandel JR, Mitra P, Mulrey K, Nelles A, Rachen JP, Rossetto L, Schellart P, Scholten O, Thoudam S, Trinh G, Ter Veen S, Winchen T (2017)

Publication Type: Conference contribution

Publication year: 2017

Journal

EPJ Web of Conferences EDP Sciences: EPJ Open Access / EDP Sciences

Publisher: EDP Sciences

Book Volume: 135

Conference Proceedings Title: EPJ Web of Conferences

Event location: Groningen, NLD

ISBN: 9782759890156

DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/201713501012

Abstract

The refractive index of the atmosphere, which is n ≈ 1:0003 at sea level, varies with altitude and with local temperature, pressure and humidity. When performing radio measurements of air showers, natural variations in n will change the radio lateral intensity distribution, by changing the Cherenkov angle. Using CoREAS simulations, we have evaluated the systematic error on measurements of the shower maximum Xmax due to variations in n. It was found that a 10% increase in refractivity (n - 1) leads to an underestimation of Xmax between 8 and 22 g/cm2 for proton-induced showers at zenith angles from 15 to 45 degrees, respectively.

Authors with CRIS profile

Anna Nelles

Involved external institutions

Radboud University Nijmegen NL Netherlands (NL) Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) BE Belgium (BE) KVI-Center for Advanced Radiation Technology NL Netherlands (NL) Astron NL Netherlands (NL) University of California Irvine US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Corstanje, A., Buitink, S., Bonardi, A., Falcke, H., Hörandel, J.R., Mitra, P.,... Winchen, T. (2017). The influence of the atmospheric refractive index on radio Xmax measurements of air showers. In Jorg R. Horandel, Robert Lahmann, Olaf Scholten, Sijbrand De Jong, Rolf Nahnhauer, Stijn Buitink (Eds.), EPJ Web of Conferences. Groningen, NLD: EDP Sciences.

MLA:

Corstanje, Arthur, et al. "The influence of the atmospheric refractive index on radio Xmax measurements of air showers." Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Acoustic and Radio EeV Neutrino Detection Activities, ARENA 2016, Groningen, NLD Ed. Jorg R. Horandel, Robert Lahmann, Olaf Scholten, Sijbrand De Jong, Rolf Nahnhauer, Stijn Buitink, EDP Sciences, 2017.

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