TY - JOUR
T1 - Testing Hadronic Interaction Models with Cosmic Ray Measurements at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory
AU - The IceCube Collaboration
AU - Verpoest, Stef
AU - Soldin, Dennis
AU - De Ridder, Sam
AU - Abbasi, R.
AU - Ackermann, M.
AU - Adams, J.
AU - Aguilar, J. A.
AU - Ahlers, M.
AU - Ahrens, M.
AU - Alispach, C.
AU - Alves, A. A.
AU - Amin, N. M.
AU - An, R.
AU - Andeen, K.
AU - Anderson, T.
AU - Anton, G.
AU - Argüelles, C.
AU - Ashida, Y.
AU - Axani, S.
AU - Bai, X.
AU - Balagopal, A. V.
AU - Barbano, A.
AU - Barwick, S. W.
AU - Bastian, B.
AU - Basu, V.
AU - Baur, S.
AU - Bay, R.
AU - Beatty, J. J.
AU - Becker, K. H.
AU - Becker Tjus, J.
AU - Bellenghi, C.
AU - BenZvi, S.
AU - Berley, D.
AU - Bernardini, E.
AU - Besson, D. Z.
AU - Binder, G.
AU - Bindig, D.
AU - Blaufuss, E.
AU - Blot, S.
AU - Boddenberg, M.
AU - Bontempo, F.
AU - Borowka, J.
AU - Böser, S.
AU - Botner, O.
AU - Böttcher, J.
AU - Bourbeau, E.
AU - Bradascio, F.
AU - Braun, J.
AU - Bron, S.
AU - Kiryluk, J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright owned by the author(s).
PY - 2022/3/18
Y1 - 2022/3/18
N2 - The IceCube Neutrino Observatory provides the opportunity to perform unique measurements of cosmic-ray air showers with its combination of a surface array and a deep detector. Electromagnetic particles and low-energy muons (∼GeV) are detected by IceTop, while a bundle of high-energy muons (&400 GeV) can be measured in coincidence in IceCube. Predictions of air-shower observables based on simulations show a strong dependence on the choice of the high-energy hadronic interaction model. By reconstructing different composition-dependent observables, one can provide strong tests of hadronic interaction models, as these measurements should be consistent with one another. In this work, we present an analysis of air-shower data between 2.5 and 80 PeV, comparing the composition interpretation of measurements of the surface muon density, the slope of the IceTop lateral distribution function, and the energy loss of the muon bundle, using the models Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04 and EPOS-LHC. We observe inconsistencies in all models under consideration, suggesting they do not give an adequate description of experimental data. The results furthermore imply a significant uncertainty in the determination of the cosmic-ray mass composition through indirect measurements.
AB - The IceCube Neutrino Observatory provides the opportunity to perform unique measurements of cosmic-ray air showers with its combination of a surface array and a deep detector. Electromagnetic particles and low-energy muons (∼GeV) are detected by IceTop, while a bundle of high-energy muons (&400 GeV) can be measured in coincidence in IceCube. Predictions of air-shower observables based on simulations show a strong dependence on the choice of the high-energy hadronic interaction model. By reconstructing different composition-dependent observables, one can provide strong tests of hadronic interaction models, as these measurements should be consistent with one another. In this work, we present an analysis of air-shower data between 2.5 and 80 PeV, comparing the composition interpretation of measurements of the surface muon density, the slope of the IceTop lateral distribution function, and the energy loss of the muon bundle, using the models Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04 and EPOS-LHC. We observe inconsistencies in all models under consideration, suggesting they do not give an adequate description of experimental data. The results furthermore imply a significant uncertainty in the determination of the cosmic-ray mass composition through indirect measurements.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85145257135
M3 - Conference article
AN - SCOPUS:85145257135
SN - 1824-8039
VL - 395
JO - Proceedings of Science
JF - Proceedings of Science
M1 - 357
T2 - 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2021
Y2 - 12 July 2021 through 23 July 2021
ER -