Muon number reconstruction with IceTop using a two-component lateral distribution function

Icecube Collaboration

doi:10.22323/1.501.0437

Muon number reconstruction with IceTop using a two-component lateral distribution function

Icecube Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy

Loyola University Chicago
German Electron Synchrotron
University of Canterbury
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar
Université libre de Bruxelles
University of Copenhagen
TU Dortmund University
University of Kansas
University of Delaware
Marquette University
Harvard University
University of Utah
Michigan State University
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
University of California at Irvine
Technical University of Munich
University of California at Berkeley
Ohio State University
Ruhr University Bochum
Chalmers University of Technology
RWTH Aachen University
Uppsala University
University of Rochester
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Padua
National Institute for Nuclear Physics
University of Alabama
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Georgia Institute of Technology
Queen's University Kingston
Adelaide University
Drexel University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, situated at the geographic South Pole, comprises both a surface component, IceTop, and a deep in-ice component. This unique setup allows for simultaneous measurements of low-energy (∼ GeV) and high-energy (≳ 400 GeV) muons generated in cosmic-ray air showers. The correlation between these low- and high-energy muons can serve as a valuable tool not only for analyzing cosmic-ray composition but also for tests of hadronic interaction models. However, IceTop does not feature dedicated muon detectors, making it challenging to measure the low-energy muon component for individual air showers. For this reason, a two-component lateral distribution function is utilized for the simultaneous reconstruction of the primary energy and low-energy muon number on a single-event basis. This is achieved by combining analytical descriptions of the electromagnetic and muon lateral distributions. In this work, the underlying principles of this method will be discussed, as well as its capability for muon number reconstruction using the hadronic interaction models Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04, and EPOS-LHC.

Original language	English
Article number	437
Journal	Proceedings of Science
Volume	501
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.22323/1.501.0437
State	Published - Dec 30 2025
Event	39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025 - Geneva, Switzerland Duration: Jul 15 2025 → Jul 24 2025

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10.22323/1.501.0437

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@article{1737c35d102c4e01a1d9369dc0371f0a,

title = "Muon number reconstruction with IceTop using a two-component lateral distribution function",

abstract = "The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, situated at the geographic South Pole, comprises both a surface component, IceTop, and a deep in-ice component. This unique setup allows for simultaneous measurements of low-energy (∼ GeV) and high-energy (≳ 400 GeV) muons generated in cosmic-ray air showers. The correlation between these low- and high-energy muons can serve as a valuable tool not only for analyzing cosmic-ray composition but also for tests of hadronic interaction models. However, IceTop does not feature dedicated muon detectors, making it challenging to measure the low-energy muon component for individual air showers. For this reason, a two-component lateral distribution function is utilized for the simultaneous reconstruction of the primary energy and low-energy muon number on a single-event basis. This is achieved by combining analytical descriptions of the electromagnetic and muon lateral distributions. In this work, the underlying principles of this method will be discussed, as well as its capability for muon number reconstruction using the hadronic interaction models Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04, and EPOS-LHC.",

author = "\{Icecube Collaboration\} and R. Abbasi and M. Ackermann and J. Adams and Agarwalla, \{S. K.\} and Aguilar, \{J. A.\} and M. Ahlers and Alameddine, \{J. M.\} and S. Ali and Amin, \{N. M.\} and K. Andeen and C. Arg{\"u}elles and Y. Ashida and S. Athanasiadou and Axani, \{S. N.\} and R. Babu and X. Bai and J. Baines-Holmes and Balagopal, \{A. V.\} and Barwick, \{S. W.\} and S. Bash and V. Basu and R. Bay and Beatty, \{J. J.\} and Tjus, \{J. Becker\} and P. Behrens and J. Beise and C. Bellenghi and B. Benkel and S. BenZvi and D. Berley and E. Bernardini and Besson, \{D. Z.\} and E. Blaufuss and L. Bloom and S. Blot and I. Bodo and F. Bontempo and \{Book Motzkin\}, \{J. Y.\} and Meneguolo, \{C. Boscolo\} and S. B{\"o}ser and O. Botner and J. B{\"o}ttcher and J. Braun and B. Brinson and Z. Brisson-Tsavoussis and Burley, \{R. T.\} and D. Butterfield and Campana, \{M. A.\} and K. Carloni and J. Kiryluk",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright owned by the author(s); 39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025 ; Conference date: 15-07-2025 Through 24-07-2025",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "30",

doi = "10.22323/1.501.0437",

language = "English",

volume = "501",

journal = "Proceedings of Science",

issn = "1824-8039",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Muon number reconstruction with IceTop using a two-component lateral distribution function

AU - Icecube Collaboration

AU - Abbasi, R.

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Adams, J.

AU - Agarwalla, S. K.

AU - Aguilar, J. A.

AU - Ahlers, M.

AU - Alameddine, J. M.

AU - Ali, S.

AU - Amin, N. M.

AU - Andeen, K.

AU - Argüelles, C.

AU - Ashida, Y.

AU - Athanasiadou, S.

AU - Axani, S. N.

AU - Babu, R.

AU - Bai, X.

AU - Baines-Holmes, J.

AU - Balagopal, A. V.

AU - Barwick, S. W.

AU - Bash, S.

AU - Basu, V.

AU - Bay, R.

AU - Beatty, J. J.

AU - Tjus, J. Becker

AU - Behrens, P.

AU - Beise, J.

AU - Bellenghi, C.

AU - Benkel, B.

AU - BenZvi, S.

AU - Berley, D.

AU - Bernardini, E.

AU - Besson, D. Z.

AU - Blaufuss, E.

AU - Bloom, L.

AU - Blot, S.

AU - Bodo, I.

AU - Bontempo, F.

AU - Book Motzkin, J. Y.

AU - Meneguolo, C. Boscolo

AU - Böser, S.

AU - Botner, O.

AU - Böttcher, J.

AU - Braun, J.

AU - Brinson, B.

AU - Brisson-Tsavoussis, Z.

AU - Burley, R. T.

AU - Butterfield, D.

AU - Campana, M. A.

AU - Carloni, K.

AU - Kiryluk, J.

PY - 2025/12/30

Y1 - 2025/12/30

N2 - The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, situated at the geographic South Pole, comprises both a surface component, IceTop, and a deep in-ice component. This unique setup allows for simultaneous measurements of low-energy (∼ GeV) and high-energy (≳ 400 GeV) muons generated in cosmic-ray air showers. The correlation between these low- and high-energy muons can serve as a valuable tool not only for analyzing cosmic-ray composition but also for tests of hadronic interaction models. However, IceTop does not feature dedicated muon detectors, making it challenging to measure the low-energy muon component for individual air showers. For this reason, a two-component lateral distribution function is utilized for the simultaneous reconstruction of the primary energy and low-energy muon number on a single-event basis. This is achieved by combining analytical descriptions of the electromagnetic and muon lateral distributions. In this work, the underlying principles of this method will be discussed, as well as its capability for muon number reconstruction using the hadronic interaction models Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04, and EPOS-LHC.

AB - The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, situated at the geographic South Pole, comprises both a surface component, IceTop, and a deep in-ice component. This unique setup allows for simultaneous measurements of low-energy (∼ GeV) and high-energy (≳ 400 GeV) muons generated in cosmic-ray air showers. The correlation between these low- and high-energy muons can serve as a valuable tool not only for analyzing cosmic-ray composition but also for tests of hadronic interaction models. However, IceTop does not feature dedicated muon detectors, making it challenging to measure the low-energy muon component for individual air showers. For this reason, a two-component lateral distribution function is utilized for the simultaneous reconstruction of the primary energy and low-energy muon number on a single-event basis. This is achieved by combining analytical descriptions of the electromagnetic and muon lateral distributions. In this work, the underlying principles of this method will be discussed, as well as its capability for muon number reconstruction using the hadronic interaction models Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04, and EPOS-LHC.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105029039953

U2 - 10.22323/1.501.0437

DO - 10.22323/1.501.0437

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:105029039953

SN - 1824-8039

VL - 501

JO - Proceedings of Science

JF - Proceedings of Science

M1 - 437

T2 - 39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025

Y2 - 15 July 2025 through 24 July 2025

ER -

Muon number reconstruction with IceTop using a two-component lateral distribution function

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