Studies of Anomalous Phenomena in the Development of Electron-Nuclear Cascades in the EAS Cores Registered by a Modernized Complex Installation at Mountain Altitudes

Abstract

Phenomena have been observed in mountain high-energy cosmic-ray experiments, namely, a delayed absorption of high-energy cascades initiated by cosmic-ray hadrons in a lead absorber at E0≳ 1014 eV (so-called long-flying component), a coplanarity of most energetic particles in the central region of γ-ray−hadron superfamilies, and the so-called Tien Shan effect in EAS cores at E0≳ 1016 eV (s>5 TeV). These effects are not described by theoretical models. The coplanarity is explained by the process of coplanar generation of most energetic secondary particles in interactions of superhigh-energy hadrons with the nuclei of air atoms. The other two phenomena are possibly explained with a high cross section for fragmentation-region charmed-hadron generation. To investigate these phenomena, a cosmic-ray detector array, including a very thick ionization calorimeter, is being upgraded to study EAS cores.

First Results of Studying EAS Cores Using a High-Mountain Ionization Calorimeter

“…The diagram of the calorimeter, consisting of an upper part (the so-called gamma block) and a lower part (the so-called hadron block) is shown in Figure 1 (Figure 4, [26]). The gamma block and the hadron block are separated vertically by 2.2 m for experiments related to the search for charmed particles.…”