Measurement of the vertical cosmic muon flux in a region of large rigidity cutoff

Response of Water Cherenkov Detectors to Small Signals: a Case Study

“…In both cases, muons are given a kinetic energy T having a Gaussian distribution of adjustable mean T mean , and a zenith angle θ having a distribution [5] dN/dθ=N 0 cos 2 θ(1− 0.108sin 2 θ) between 0 • and 90 • . The choice of a Gaussian rather than exponential kinetic energy distribution corresponds to available measurements [7] in the low energy range (T<∼20 GeV).…”

“…It is straightforward to estimate what to expect in terms of rates. For this purpose, muons having a mean kinetic energy of 4 GeV and the proper angular distribution [5] are generated at a distance from the detector centre uniformly distributed between zero and l max . It is useful to distinguish between four families of trajectories (Fig.…”

“…As a contribution to the work of the Pierre Auger Collaboration, we have assembled on the roof of our Hanoi laboratory a replica of one of the 1660 Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) with the aim of training and gaining familiarity with the tools and methods used at the PAO. Together with other equipment, including scintillator detectors and additional smaller Cherenkov detectors, it has given us an opportunity to explore some features of the cosmic ray flux in Hanoi where the rigidity cut-off reaches its world maximum of 17 GV [5].…”