Ústav technické a experimentální fyziky Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics

Event rates of UHE photons cascading in the geomagnetic field at CTA-North

NázevTitle
Event rates of UHE photons cascading in the geomagnetic field at CTA-NorthEvent rates of UHE photons cascading in the geomagnetic field at CTA-North
Druh výsledkuResult type
Příspěvek ve sborníkuProceedings paper
AutořiAuthors
K. A. Cheminant, D. Gora, D. E. A. Castillo, N. Budnev, K. Smolek
Časopis / citaceJournal / citation
In: 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference. Trieste: Proceedings of Science, 2022. ISSN 1824-8039.
JazykLanguage
eng
WoSWoS
001081844900044
ScopusScopus
2-s2.0-85144113043
RIVRIV
RIV/68407700:21670/22:00373868!RIV24-MSM-21670___
ProjektProject
Inženýrské aplikace fyziky mikrosvětaEngineering applications of microworld physics; Institucionální podpora na rozvoj výzkumné org.Institucionální podpora na rozvoj výzkumné org.

AbstraktAbstract

Photons in the EeV range and beyond are expected from top-down models of UHECR production and from the GZK effect. As they reach the Earth, they have a non-zero probability of converting into an electron/positron pair in the geomagnetic field and of producing an electromagnetic shower above the atmosphere. In this work, we present a new method to search for cascading UHE photons with gamma-ray telescopes based on Monte-Carlo simulations and multivariate analyses. Considering the future CTA-North experiment in La Palma, Spain, we show that such a method provides an efficient cosmic-ray background rejection with little loss of cascading UHE photon events. We also estimate that if gamma-ray bursts photon emission extends to the EeV regime, the number of expected events in 30 hours of observation time can go up to 0.17.

Photons in the EeV range and beyond are expected from top-down models of UHECR production and from the GZK effect. As they reach the Earth, they have a non-zero probability of converting into an electron/positron pair in the geomagnetic field and of producing an electromagnetic shower above the atmosphere. In this work, we present a new method to search for cascading UHE photons with gamma-ray telescopes based on Monte-Carlo simulations and multivariate analyses. Considering the future CTA-North experiment in La Palma, Spain, we show that such a method provides an efficient cosmic-ray background rejection with little loss of cascading UHE photon events. We also estimate that if gamma-ray bursts photon emission extends to the EeV regime, the number of expected events in 30 hours of observation time can go up to 0.17.