Characteristics of extensive air showers around the energy threshold for ground-particle-based gamma-ray observatories. (arXiv:1905.06816v1 [astro-ph.HE])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Schoorlemmer_H/0/1/0/all/0/1">Harm Schoorlemmer</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Hinton_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Jim Hinton</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Lopez_Coto_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">Rubén López-Coto</a>
Very high energy gamma-ray astronomy based on the measurement of air shower
particles at ground-level has only recently been established as a viable
approach, complementing the well established air Cherenkov technique. This
approach requires high (mountain) altitudes and very high surface coverage
particle detectors. While in general the properties of air showers are well
established for many decades, the extreme situation of ground-level detection
of very small showers from low energy primaries has not yet been well
characterised for the purposes of gamma-ray astronomy. Here we attempt such a
characterisation, with the aim of supporting the optimisation of
next-generation gamma-ray observatories based on this technique. We address all
of the key ground level observables and provide parameterisations for use in
detector optimisation for shower energies around 1 TeV. We emphasise two
primary aspects: the need for large area detectors to effectively measure
low-energy showers, and the importance of muon identification for the purpose
of background rejection.
Very high energy gamma-ray astronomy based on the measurement of air shower
particles at ground-level has only recently been established as a viable
approach, complementing the well established air Cherenkov technique. This
approach requires high (mountain) altitudes and very high surface coverage
particle detectors. While in general the properties of air showers are well
established for many decades, the extreme situation of ground-level detection
of very small showers from low energy primaries has not yet been well
characterised for the purposes of gamma-ray astronomy. Here we attempt such a
characterisation, with the aim of supporting the optimisation of
next-generation gamma-ray observatories based on this technique. We address all
of the key ground level observables and provide parameterisations for use in
detector optimisation for shower energies around 1 TeV. We emphasise two
primary aspects: the need for large area detectors to effectively measure
low-energy showers, and the importance of muon identification for the purpose
of background rejection.
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