Long-term calibration and validation of stability of the Auger Engineering Radio Array using the diffuse Galactic radio emission

Abstract The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) measures radio emission from high-energy extensive air showers. Consisting of 153 autonomous radio-detector stations spread over 17 km^2, it detects radio waves in the frequency range of 30 to 80 MHz. Accurate characterization of the detector response is crucial for proper interpretation of the collected data. Previously, this was achieved through laboratory measurements of the analog chain and simulations and measurements of the antenna's directional response. In this paper, we perform an absolute calibration using the continuously monitored sidereal modulation of the diffuse Galactic radio emission. Calibration is done by comparing the average frequency spectra recorded by the stations with predictions from seven different models of the full radio sky, accounting for the system response, which includes the antenna, filters, and amplifiers. The analysis of the calibration constants over a period of seven years shows no relevant and no significant ageing effect in the AERA antennas. This result confirms the long-term stability of the detector stations and demonstrates the possibility for a radio detector to effectively monitor ageing effects of other detectors operating over extended periods.

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Journal
Journal of Instrumentation
Published
2025-12-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/20/12/p12017
Primary Topic
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
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article
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0.00

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article

Long-term calibration and validation of stability of the Auger Engineering Radio Array using the diffuse Galactic radio emission

Pedro J. Costa, G.P. Guedes, M. Boháčová, T. Paulsen et al.
Journal of Instrumentation
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
article

Long-term calibration and validation of stability of the Auger Engineering Radio Array using the diffuse Galactic radio emission

Pedro J. Costa, G.P. Guedes, M. Boháčová, T. Paulsen, V.M. Harvey, Bruno L. Lago, S. Stanič, L. Caccianiga, M. Palatka, T. Pierog, G. Sigl, V. Rizi, P. Stassi, T. Huege, Nicolas Leal, Carmina Pérez Bertolli, G. Nicora, A. Saftoiu, Carlo Salvattore Cruz Sanchez, R. M. de Almeida, Salvatore Mancuso, Frank Schröder, A. C. Fauth, Enrique Varela, O. Schölten, Juan Rojo, Olena Tkachenko, M. Saharan, A. di Matteo, Pierpaolo Savina, K. Daumiller, Lukáš Vaclavek, B. R. Dawson, Matteo Conte, Jill Meinert, Dalibor Nosek, A. Menshikov, Paula Gina Isar, Dušan Mandát, S. Martinelli, M. Roth, Adila Abdul Halim, Jiří Blažek, J. Matthews, Adriel Bartz Mocellin, Berenika Čermáková, S. J. de Jong, K. Pytel, J. Pallotta, A. Insolia, María Isabel Micheletti, L. Nellen, G. Parente, R. Colalillo, F. Catalani, C. Oliveira, L. Östman, Katarína Simkova, R. Caruso, I. Allekotte, F. Sarazin, Mirian Fernández Alonso, Luis A. Núñez, Chaitanya Priyadarshi, M. Cristinziani, T. Fitoussi, H. Schieler, Martin Weitz, F. Barbato, B. Pont, I. De Mitri, L. Miramonti, F. Simon, S. Rossoni, F. Salamida, Benjamin Flaggs, F. Rodríguez, Christian Gläser, P. Hamal, M. Hrabovský, R. Mussa, T. Schulz, Fiona H. Ellwanger, J. Vícha, Jaime Álvarez-Muñiz, Jose F. Valdés Galicia, J. Köhler, J. Blümer, U. Giaccari, A. Novikov, Denise Boncioli, Martin Vacula, Vladimír Novotný, Sebastián E. Nuza, Miguel A. Martins, F. Guarino, E. De Vito, M. Erdmann, Jarosław Stasielak, J.P. Gongora, H. Falcke, A. Letessier‐Selvon, C. E. Covault, T. Hebbeker, Alex Tapia, P. Abreu, C. Aramo, L. Anchordoqui, L. Nožka, A. Castellina, J.C. Arteaga Velázquez, K. S. Caballero‐Mora, D. Martello, Antonio Franco, G. Marsella, Roberto Aloisio, V. de Souza, Juan Ammerman Yebra, Anastasia Yurevna Baluta, Achille Nucita, P. Mantsch, A. Yushkov, Rukije Uzeiroska, E. Rodrı́guez, Nicolás Martín González, Toshihiro Fujii, N. Langner, Nicolas San Martin, Luis Miguel Domingues Mendes, Zuzana Svozilikova, М. Бертаина, M. Pech, Maximilian Stadelmaier, P. Assis, M. Mallamaci, Alena Bakalová, Peter L. Biermann, Jan Ebr, J. P. Behler, Anthony Bwembya, J. A. Chinellato, C. Trimarelli, Jorge Caraça-Valente, C. Petrucci, Adriana Vásquez-Ramírez, C. Bonifazi, Jon Paul Lundquist, Edyvânia Emily Pereira Martins, V.B. Jhansi, F. Feldbusch, S. Vorobiov, A. Del Popolo, E. Avocone, Primo F. Gómez Vitale, H.O. Klages, M. Prouza, A. Weindl, H. Wilczyński, Antonio Ambrosone, M. Aglietta, A. Gorgi, F. de Palma, S. Dasso, I. Lhenry-Yvon, Z. Szadkowski, A.C. Rovero, Fabio Convenga, B. Tomé, C. Hojvat, Ricardo Conceição, Adrian Sedoski, K. Mulrey, Radomir Šmída, P. Sampathkumar, M. Büsken, M. Pimenta, Carmelo Evoli, Matías Rolf Hampel, M. Freitas, Y. Guerra, D. Góra, L. Cazon, R. C. dos Anjos, J. Řídký, B. Keilhauer, G. Golup, Stef Verpoest, R. W. Clay, Diego Correia dos Santos, E. Arnone, S. Buitink, Vincent Pelgrims, Olivier Deligny, Chloé Gaudu, Yago Lema-Capeans, Carmen Merx, Mohsen Pourmohammad Shahvar, Lukas Gülzow, S. Strähnz, S. Cabana-Freire, A. Cermenati, N. Denner, Beatriz de Errico, João Vítor Reginatto Akim, Fedor Tairli, Alex Reuzki, Tim Fehler, Eric William Mayotte, J.R. Hörandel, M. Unger, J. Chudoba, O. Martı́nez, A. De Roeck, Danelise de Oliveira Franco, José Ochoa, Teresa Bister, K.‐H. Kampert, Jose Sanabria Gomez, B. Garćıa, Marcus Niechciol, Leonel Morejón, J. Brack, Igor Vaiman, J. Schulte, F. Riehn, A. Haungs, F. Montanet, M. Straub, P. Sommers, S. Mollerach, R. Sato, P.O. Mazur, D. Melo, R. Pelayo, D. Zavrtanik, M. Kleifges, M.A. Leigui de Oliveira, M. Ribó, B. Fick, L. Perrone, D. Schmidt, Carlos J. Todero Peixoto, J. Rautenberg, B. Andrada, G. Cataldi, S. Mayotte, J. Pawlowsky, K. Černý, S. Querchfeld, Margita Kubátová, A. A. Watson, E. Zas, J. de Jesús, G. Consolati, R. Sarmento, Pavel Horváth, Nataliia Borodai, Kévin Almeida Cheminant, Martin Schimassek, L. Chytka, A.D. Supanitsky, Sergio J Sciutto, E. Santos, V. Scherini, C. Taricco, S. Petrera, F. Gollan, M. Cerda, L. Valore, Virginia Binet, L. Wiencke, C. Watanabe, Ioana Codrina Mariş, M. Tueros, Marina Scornavacche, P. Privitera, G. Salina, A. Bueno, A. G. Mariazzi, C. Bérat, P. Janeček, R. Engel, T. Suomijärvi, H.J. Mathes, S. Michal, A. Fuster, P. Hansen, A.C. Cobos Cerutti, D. Veberič, I. Epicoco, F. Gobbi, Indira D. Vergara Quispe, B. Wundheiler, A. Travaini, Gualberto Avila, Marta Bianciotto, P. Filip, Steffen Hahn, N. Kunka, L. Lopes, C. Galea, M. Schimp, J. C. D’Olivo, G. Farrar, B. B. Yue, Q. Dorosti, M. Risse, J. Pȩkala, Jonathan Biteau, M. Gottowik, L. Deval, J.M. González, D. Ravignani, Subhash Chandra Panja, K. Bismark, D. Nitz, P.L. Ghia, M. Zavrtanik, Vlastimil Jílek, S.U. Shivashankara, V. Vašíčková, S. Negi, Alexandra Fernandes, Khoa Nguyen, P. Trávnı́ček, W.M. Namasaka, G. Matthiae, G. Medina-Tanco, L. Apollonio, C. Timmermans, A. Etchegoyen, E. Roulet, F. Krieger, R. Squartini, F. Sánchez, V.V. Kizakke Covilakam, A. Khakurdikar, P. Tobiska, S. Sehgal, Juan Manuel Figueira, A. Filipčič, H. Salazar, H. Schoorlemmer, Luciana Andrade Dourado, P. Schovánek, V. Verzi, Megha Mogarkar, Marcos Olegario, E.-T. de Boone, Mohamed Ismaiel, Karolina Syrokvas, Matteo Tambone, Pim van Dillen, Sarah Soares Sippert, Y. Balibrea, P. G. Brichetto Orquera, Y. Dominguez Ballesteros
article en

Abstract

Abstract The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) measures radio emission from high-energy extensive air showers. Consisting of 153 autonomous radio-detector stations spread over 17 km^2, it detects radio waves in the frequency range of 30 to 80 MHz. Accurate characterization of the detector response is crucial for proper interpretation of the collected data. Previously, this was achieved through laboratory measurements of the analog chain and simulations and measurements of the antenna's directional response. In this paper, we perform an absolute calibration using the continuously monitored sidereal modulation of the diffuse Galactic radio emission. Calibration is done by comparing the average frequency spectra recorded by the stations with predictions from seven different models of the full radio sky, accounting for the system response, which includes the antenna, filters, and amplifiers. The analysis of the calibration constants over a period of seven years shows no relevant and no significant ageing effect in the AERA antennas. This result confirms the long-term stability of the detector stations and demonstrates the possibility for a radio detector to effectively monitor ageing effects of other detectors operating over extended periods.

Journal of InstrumentationVol. 20(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), Université Libre de Bruxelles (BE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BE), 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), Lehman College (US), University of Wuppertal (DE), Colorado School of Mines (US), Universidad de Granada (ES), Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (MX), 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), TU Dortmund University (DE), 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), 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), University of Łódź (PL), University of Catania (IT), Sorbonne Université (FR), 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), 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), Reproductive Medicine Institute (US), 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), Institute of Physics Rosario (AR), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Milano (IT), Instituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (AR), Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie (FR), 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), 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), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (AR), RWTH Aachen University (DE), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX), 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, Grainger Foundation, Strong, European Commission, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy, Grantová Agentura České Republiky, Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Xunta de Galicia, Vlaamse regering, 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, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
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Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
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