Simulated Extensive Air Showers with a Medium-Strong Interaction

Abstract

It is proposed that anomalous measurements of cosmic-ray pions and muons above a characteristic energy of 10 12 eV can be explained, at least in part, by the presence of the medium-strong contact interaction between protons. That has been suggested by Abarbanel, Drell, and Gilman. The results of a programmed simulation of extensive air showers in a simple model have the correct behavior to explain the pion measurements, and they show a slight tendency in the correct direction for an explanation of the measurements of muons. Some remarks are made on the difficulties associated with theories of direct production of muons.