The Radio Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
J. Hörandel*  on behalf of the Pierre Auger Collaboration
*: corresponding author
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Pre-published on: March 21, 2025
Published on:
Abstract
To measure the properties of the highest-energy particles in the Universe with unprecedented precision, we have upgraded the Pierre Auger Observatory. A crucial component of this upgrade is the Radio Detector. Radio antennas have been added to all 1660 positions of the surface detector array, covering an area of 3000 km2. The antennas detect radio emission, emitted by extensive air showers in the frequency band from 30 to 80 MHz in two polarization directions - one parallel and one perpendicular to the Earth magnetic field. For inclined air showers with zenith angles above 60 degrees, the radio antennas provide a clean measurement of the electromagnetic shower component, while the water-Čerenkov detectors measure the muonic component. Large-scale deployment in the Argentinian Pampa Amarilla started around June 2023 and has been completed in 2024. The deployment is accompanied by extensive calibration efforts both, in the laboratory and in the field. The signal chain is characterized in the laboratory. Galactic radio emission is used as a reference signal and the antenna patterns are verified through in-situ calibrations with a reference antenna. Commissioning of the system is in full progress as well as the analysis of first measured air showers. We present first air showers measured with the largest radio detector for cosmic rays in the world.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/1.484.0094
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