Measurements of All-Particle Energy Spectrum and Mean Logarithmic Mass of Cosmic Rays from 0.3 to 30 PeV with LHAASO-KM2A
Z Cao, F Aharonian, Axikegu, YX Bai, YW Bao… - Physical Review Letters, 2024 - APS
Z Cao, F Aharonian, Axikegu, YX Bai, YW Bao, D Bastieri, XJ Bi, YJ Bi, W Bian, AV Bukevich…
Physical Review Letters, 2024•APSWe present the measurements of all-particle energy spectrum and mean logarithmic mass of
cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3–30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A
between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-
independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our
analysis reveals the position of the knee at 3.67±0.05±0.15 PeV. Below the knee, the
spectral index is found to be-2.7413±0.0004±0.0050, while above the knee, it is …
cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3–30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A
between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-
independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our
analysis reveals the position of the knee at 3.67±0.05±0.15 PeV. Below the knee, the
spectral index is found to be-2.7413±0.0004±0.0050, while above the knee, it is …
We present the measurements of all-particle energy spectrum and mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3–30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our analysis reveals the position of the knee at . Below the knee, the spectral index is found to be , while above the knee, it is , with the sharpness of the transition measured with a statistical error of 2%. The mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is almost heavier than helium in the whole measured energy range. It decreases from 1.7 at 0.3 PeV to 1.3 at 3 PeV, representing a 24% decline following a power law with an index of . This is equivalent to an increase in abundance of light components. Above the knee, the mean logarithmic mass exhibits a power law trend towards heavier components, which is reversal to the behavior observed in the all-particle energy spectrum. Additionally, the knee position and the change in power-law index are approximately the same. These findings suggest that the knee observed in the all-particle spectrum corresponds to the knee of the light component, rather than the medium-heavy components.
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