Volume 444 - 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2023) - Cosmic-Ray Physics (Indirect, CRI)
Analysis of above-the-limb cosmic rays for EUSO-SPB2
A. Cummings*  on behalf of the JEM-EUSO Collaboration
*: corresponding author
Full text: pdf
Pre-published on: July 25, 2023
Published on: September 27, 2024
Abstract
The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super Pressure Balloon 2 (EUSO-SPB2)
experiment is a pathfinder mission for future space-based instruments targeting the fluxes of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR), with energies exceeding 1EeV and very high energy diffuse
and transient neutrinos, with energies exceeding 1PeV. Using two telescope designs: the
Fluorescence Telescope (FT) and the Cherenkov Telescope (CT), EUSO-SPB2 made novel
observations of the backgrounds relevant for space-based detection. EUSO-SPB2 will launch from
Wanaka, NZ in Spring of 2023, for a long duration (up to 100d) flight at a nominal float altitude of
33km.\\

In this contribution, we will focus on the CT’s capability to measure cosmic rays from above
Earth’s limb via the Cherenkov emission produced by the resultant Extensive Air Showers (EAS).
Using the \texttt{EASCherSim} optical Cherenkov generation code, we provide an updated estimate of the
event rate of above-the-limb cosmic rays for the CT, taking into account updated values for the
trigger efficiency as determined during the field testing of the instrument. We take particular care to
consider the longitudinal development of EAS in rarefied atmosphere, accounting for the energy
dependent elongation rate. In addition, we consider improvements to the magnetic field modeling
present in \texttt{EASCherSim} and illustrate their impact on the observed events and detection thresholds.
Finally, we compare these simulations to preliminary flight data from EUSO-SPB2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/1.444.0527
How to cite

Metadata are provided both in article format (very similar to INSPIRE) as this helps creating very compact bibliographies which can be beneficial to authors and readers, and in proceeding format which is more detailed and complete.

Open Access
Creative Commons LicenseCopyright owned by the author(s) under the term of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.