First ground based measurement of atmospheric Cherenkov light from cosmic rays

F. Aharonian , A.G. Akhperjanian , A.R. Bazer-Bachi (1) , M. Beilicke , W. Benbow , D. Berge , K. Bernlohr , C. Boisson (2) , O. Bolz , V. Borrel , I. Braun , E. Brion (3) , A.M. Brown , R. Buhler , I. Busching , S. Carrigan , P.M. Chadwick , L.-M. Chounet (4) , G. Coignet (5) , R. Cornils , L. Costamante , B. Degrange , H.J. Dickinson , A. Djannati-Ataï (6) , L.O'C. Drury , G. Dubus (4) , K. Egberts , D. Emmanoulopoulos , P. Espigat (7) , F. Feinstein (8) , E. Ferrero , A. Fiasson (8) , G. Fontaine (4) , Seb. Funk , S. Funk , M. Fussling , Y.A. Gallant (8) , B. Giebels (4) , J.F. Glicenstein (3) , B. Gluck , P. Goret (3) , C. Hadjichristidis , D. Hauser , M. Hauser , G. Heinzelmann , G. Henri (9) , G. Hermann , J.A. Hinton , A. Hoffmann , W. Hofmann , M. Holleran , S. Hoppe , D. Horns , A. Jacholkowska (8) , O.C. de Jager , E. Kendziorra , M. Kerschhaggl , B. Khelifi (4) , Nu. Komin (8) , A. Konopelko , K. Kosack , G. Lamanna (5) , I.J. Latham , R. Le Gallou , A. Lemière (7) , M. Lemoine-Goumard (4) , T. Lohse , J.M. Martin , O. Martineau-Huynh (10) , A. Marcowith (1, 8) , C. Masterson , G. Maurin , T.J.L. Mccomb , Emmanuel Moulin (3, 8) , M. de Naurois , D. Nedbal , S.J. Nolan , A. Noutsos , J.-P. Olive (1) , K.J. Orford , J.L. Osborne , M. Panter , G. Pelletier (9) , S. Pita (7) , G. Puhlhofer , M. Punch (7) , S. Ranchon (5) , B.C. Raubenheimer , M. Raue , S.M. Rayner , O. Reimer , J. Ripken , L. Rob , L. Rolland (3) , S. Rosier-Lees (5) , G. Rowell , V. Sahakian , A. Santangelo , L. Sauge (9) , S. Schlenker , R. Schlickeiser , R. Schroder , U. Schwanke , S. Schwarzburg , S. Schwemmer , A. Shalchi , H. Sol , D. Spangler , F. Spanier , R. Steenkamp , C. Stegmann , G. Superina (4) , P.H. Tam , J.-P. Tavernet (10) , R. Terrier (7) , M. Tluczykont (4) , C. van Eldik , G. Vasileiadis (8) , C. Venter , J.P. Vialle (5) , P. Vincent (10) , H.J. Volk , S.J. Wagner , M. Ward

1 CESR - Centre d'étude spatiale des rayonnements
2 LUTH (UMR_8102) - Laboratoire Univers et Théories
3 DAPNIA - Département d'Astrophysique, de physique des Particules, de physique Nucléaire et de l'Instrumentation Associée
4 LLR - Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet
5 LAPP - Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules
6 APC - AHE - APC - Astrophysique des Hautes Energies
7 APC (UMR_7164) - AstroParticule et Cosmologie
8 LPTA - Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Astroparticules
9 LAOG - Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Grenoble
10 LPNHE - Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies

A recently proposed novel technique for the detection of cosmic rays with arrays of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes is applied to data from the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.). The method relies on the ground based detection of Cherenkov light emitted from the primary particle prior to its first interaction in the atmosphere. The charge of the primary particle (Z) can be estimated from the intensity of this light, since it is proportional to Z$^2$. Using H.E.S.S. data, an energy spectrum for cosmic-ray iron nuclei in the energy range 13--200 TeV is derived. The reconstructed spectrum is consistent with previous direct measurements and is one of the most precise so far in this energy range.

Domaines: Cosmologie et astrophysique extra-galactique [astro-ph.CO]; Cosmologie et astrophysique extra-galactique [astro-ph.CO]; Astrophysique [astro-ph]

F. Aharonian, A.G. Akhperjanian, A.R. Bazer-Bachi, M. Beilicke, W. Benbow, et al.. First ground based measurement of atmospheric Cherenkov light from cosmic rays. Physical Review D, 2007, 75, pp.042004. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevD.75.042004⟩. ⟨in2p3-00134805⟩