Estimating the Sensitivity of IceCube-Gen2 to Cosmic Ray Mass Separation

IceCube-Gen2 is a proposed extension to the existing IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. It will consist of three components: an in-ice optical array, a surface array on top of the optical array, and a radio array for detecting ultra-high energy neutrinos. Here we study the sensitivity of this future detector to the mass separation of primary cosmic rays, using CORSIKA Monte Carlo simulations of extensive air showers initiated by H, He, O and Fe primaries. The surface array will use two types of detection technologies: scintillation detectors and radio antennas; the latter are not considered in this study. A set of mass-sensitive variables are investigated utilizing both the scintillators of the surface array and the full optical in-ice array. Among these, the high-energy muons measurable by the in-ice array are found to have the highest mass separation power for showers for which the cosmic-ray energy is known, e.g. from the surface array.