Probing hadronic interactions with high-energy and low-energy muons in extensive air showers

High-energy cosmic rays are observed indirectly by detecting the extensive air showers initiated in Earth’s atmosphere. The interpretation of experimental data relies on accurate modeling of the air shower development. Simulations based on current hadronic interaction models show significant discrepancies with measurements of the muon content in air showers, commonly referred to as the Muon Puzzle, indicating severe shortcomings in the understanding of particle physics. A hybrid detector design with a surface array and deep underground detector, such as the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, allows simultaneous measurements of muons at two vastly different energies: at GeV energies and above a few 100 GeV. We present phenomenological studies of low-energy and high-energy muons in simulated air showers, and discuss how hybrid measurements can provide constraints on multi-particle production in hadronic interaction models.