Search for the Anomalous Events Detected by ANITA Using the Pierre Auger Observatory

A dedicated search for upward-going air showers at zenith angles exceeding 110° and energies E>0.1 EeV has been performed using the Fluorescence Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The search is motivated by two "anomalous" radio pulses observed by the ANITA flights I and III that appear inconsistent with the standard model of particle physics. Using simulations of both regular cosmic-ray showers and upward-going events, a selection procedure has been defined to separate potential upward-going candidate events and the corresponding exposure has been calculated in the energy range [0.1-33] EeV. One event has been found in the search period between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2018, consistent with an expected background of 0.27±0.12 events from misreconstructed cosmic-ray showers. This translates to an upper bound on the integral flux of (7.2±0.2)×10^{-21} cm^{-2} sr^{-1} y^{-1} and (3.6±0.2)×10^{-20} cm^{-2} sr^{-1} y^{-1} for an E^{-1} and E^{-2} spectrum, respectively. An upward-going flux of showers normalized to the ANITA observations is shown to predict over 34 events for an E^{-3} spectrum and over 8.1 events for a conservative E^{-5} spectrum, in strong disagreement with the interpretation of the anomalous events as upward-going showers.

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Journal
Physical Review Letters
Published
2025-03-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.134.121003
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
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article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
5.61

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article

Search for the Anomalous Events Detected by ANITA Using the Pierre Auger Observatory

Pedro J. Costa, M. Dobre, T. Paulsen, F. L. Briechle et al.
3 citations
Physical Review Letters
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
5.61
article

Search for the Anomalous Events Detected by ANITA Using the Pierre Auger Observatory

Pedro J. Costa, M. Dobre, T. Paulsen, F. L. Briechle, R. M. de Almeida, F. Sánchez, L. Caccianiga, M. Palatka, Varada Varma Kizakke Covilakam, I. C. Mariş, T. Pierog, G. Sigl, J. Pallotta, T. Huege, F. Salamida, Carlo Salvattore Cruz Sanchez, M. Majercakova, Frank Schröder, B. L. Lago, A. C. Fauth, Enrique Varela, J. R. Hörandel, N. González, M. Saharan, K. Daumiller, Lukáš Vaclavek, Jill Meinert, F. M. Mariani, B. R. Dawson, M.R. Coluccia, Dalibor Nosek, P. H. Hansen, A. Travaini, Paula Gina Isar, M. Platino, Dušan Mandát, M. Roth, Jiří Blažek, D. Wittkowski, Adriel Bartz Mocellin, G. P. Guedes, Cynthia Ventura, S. J. de Jong, F. Campuzano, S. U. Shivashankara, H. O. Klages, V. Rizi, R. Colalillo, Armando di Matteo, Jonas Glombitza, T. Fitoussi, G. Medina-Tanco, L. Nellen, G. Parente, P. Travnicek, Gabriela Nicora, A. Letessier-Selvon, A. Machado Payeras, Katarína Simkova, R. Caruso, F. Sarazin, C. M. Schäfer, V. Verzi, Luis A. Núñez, G. Consolati, M. Cristinziani, T. Pierog, E. M. Santos, E. Zas, Orazio Zapparrata, Jorge F. Soriano, S. Andringa, F. Barbato, I. Allekotte, C. Oliveira, O. Tkachenko, B. Pont, L. Miramonti, F. Simon, Juan Carlos D’Olivo, Benjamin Flaggs, P. Hamal, M. Hrabovský, J. Perez Armand, Andrew Zeolla, A. D. Supanitsky, T. Suomijärvi, R. Mussa, Steffen Hahn, Fiona H. Ellwanger, J. Vícha, J. Köhler, Denise Boncioli, L. Chytka, Martin Vacula, Miguel A. Martins, F. Guarino, E. De Vito, D. Ravignani, M. Erdmann, Jarosław Stasielak, J. de Jesús, G. Marsella, H. Falcke, C. E. Covault, Alex Tapia, P. Abreu, C. Aramo, C. Taricco, A. Castellina, I. De Mitri, K. S. Caballero‐Mora, D. Martello, Roberto Aloisio, J. Matthews, V. M. Harvey, P. Privitera, M. Straub, V. de Souza, M. Gottowik, C. Trimarelli, F. Fenu, M. Buscemi, T. Schulz, Juan Ammerman Yebra, Achille Nucita, P. Mantsch, A. Yushkov, Lawrence Wiencke, M. Boháčová, J. Alvarez-Muñiz, E. Rodrı́guez, Toshihiro Fujii, C. Dobrigkeit, Luis Miguel Domingues Mendes, Zuzana Svozilikova, A. Weindl, M. 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article en
3 citations

Abstract

A dedicated search for upward-going air showers at zenith angles exceeding 110° and energies E>0.1 EeV has been performed using the Fluorescence Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The search is motivated by two "anomalous" radio pulses observed by the ANITA flights I and III that appear inconsistent with the standard model of particle physics. Using simulations of both regular cosmic-ray showers and upward-going events, a selection procedure has been defined to separate potential upward-going candidate events and the corresponding exposure has been calculated in the energy range [0.1-33] EeV. One event has been found in the search period between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2018, consistent with an expected background of 0.27±0.12 events from misreconstructed cosmic-ray showers. This translates to an upper bound on the integral flux of (7.2±0.2)×10^{-21} cm^{-2} sr^{-1} y^{-1} and (3.6±0.2)×10^{-20} cm^{-2} sr^{-1} y^{-1} for an E^{-1} and E^{-2} spectrum, respectively. An upward-going flux of showers normalized to the ANITA observations is shown to predict over 34 events for an E^{-3} spectrum and over 8.1 events for a conservative E^{-5} spectrum, in strong disagreement with the interpretation of the anomalous events as upward-going showers.

Physical Review LettersVol. 134(12)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE), Universidad Industrial de Santander (CO), University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT), Michigan Technological University (US), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR), National Technological University (AR), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (US), Université Libre de Bruxelles (BE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BE), University of Wisconsin–Madison (US), University of Lisbon (PT), University of Salento (IT), Radboud University Nijmegen (NL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (AR), Federal Center for Technological Education Celso Suckow da Fonseca (BR), Universität Hamburg (DE), Universidade Federal Fluminense (BR), Lehman College (US), University of Wuppertal (DE), Colorado School of Mines (US), Universidad de Granada (ES), Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (MX), City University of New York (US), Universidade Federal de São Carlos (BR), Universidade de São Paulo (BR), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (BR), University of Milan (IT), University of Nova Gorica (SI), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (ES), Université Paris Cité (FR), University of Siegen (DE), Charles University (CZ), Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (BR), National University of General San Martín (AR), Universidad de Buenos Aires (AR), University of L'Aquila (IT), Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR), Université Paris-Saclay (FR), LIP - Laboratory of Instrumentation and Experimental Particle Physics (PT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (IT), Folkwang University of the Arts (DE), Balseiro Institute (AR), Bariloche Atomic Centre (AR), Jožef Stefan Institute (SI), Universidad Nacional de San Agustin de Arequipa (PE), University of Łódź (PL), University of Catania (IT), Sorbonne Université (FR), University of Chicago (US), Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (BR), Valongo Observatory (BR), Horia Hulubei National Institute for R and D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (RO), National Institute for Subatomic Physics (NL), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Lecce (IT), Institute of Nuclear Physics (UZ), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino (IT), Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies (FR), Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino (IT), Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Napoli (IT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Roma Tor Vergata (IT), Institute of Scientific and Technical Research for Defense (AR), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Catania (IT), FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CZ), Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (BR), Instituto de Ciências Farmacêuticas (BR), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules (FR), Universidad de Medellín (CO), Laboratoire de Physique des 2 Infinis Irène Joliot-Curie (FR), Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas (MX), Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica cosmica di Palermo (IT), Institute of Physics Rosario (AR), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Milano (IT), Instituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (AR), Institute of Space Science - INFLPR Subsidiary (RO), Institute of Astronomy and Space Physics (AR), Gran Sasso Science Institute (IT), Pierre Auger Observatory (AR), International Center for Advanced Studies (AR), Laboratoire Médiations (FR), Universidade Federal do Paraná (BR), University of Turin (IT), The University of Adelaide (AU), New York University (US), Case Western Reserve University (US), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX), Palacký University Olomouc (CZ), University of Naples Federico II (IT), Universidade Federal do ABC (BR), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (MX), University of Delaware (US), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (AR), University of Amsterdam (NL), RWTH Aachen University (DE), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX), Université Grenoble Alpes (FR), University of Palermo (IT), Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (NL), Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (AR), Politecnico di Milano (IT)
National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Grainger Foundation, Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, Strong, Ministerul Cercetării, Inovării şi Digitalizării, European Commission, Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy, Grantová Agentura České Republiky, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Conseil Régional, Île-de-France, Akademie Věd České Republiky, Narodowe Centrum Nauki, Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS, Ministerstwo Edukacji i Nauki, Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii, Xunta de Galicia, Junta de Andalucía, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações e Comunicações, Vlaamse regering, Programa Operacional Temático Factores de Competitividade, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, Helmholtz Alliance for Astroparticle Physics, Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca, Australian Research Council, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Institut national des sciences de l'Univers, Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules, Institut Lagrange de Paris, HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions
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