First Data of the 3000 km$^2$ Radio Detector at the Pierre Auger Observatory

In this contribution, we present the status and first data from the Radio Detector (RD) at the Pierre Auger Observatory, consisting of $1660$ radio antennas deployed across the $3000$ km$^2$ surface detector array. These antennas measure the radio emission from extensive air showers in the $30-80$ MHz band, enabling electromagnetic energy measurements for air showers with zenith angles above $65°$. Combined with the muonic measurements from the water-Cherenkov detectors (WCDs), this allows mass composition studies at the highest energies. The large-scale deployment of the RD began in November 2023 and was completed in November 2024. A full end-to-end calibration shows consistency between Galactic and in-lab calibration to better than $5$\% and includes continuous monitoring for hardware failures, ensuring, for example, antenna alignment within $5°$. We present the first data, demonstrating a strong correlation between the electromagnetic energy measured by the RD and the total shower energy measured by the WCD, confirming that the detector chain - including triggering, data readout, absolute calibration, and reconstruction is well understood. We highlight a particularly impressive $32$ EeV shower at a zenith angle of $85°$, producing a $50$ km-long radio footprint, showcasing the unique capabilities of this detector.

Publication Details

Journal
ArXiv.org
Published
2025-09-24
Primary Topic
Education, Psychology, and Social Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

First Data of the 3000 km$^2$ Radio Detector at the Pierre Auger Observatory

ArXiv.org
Education, Psychology, and Social Research
article

First Data of the 3000 km$^2$ Radio Detector at the Pierre Auger Observatory

article en

Abstract

In this contribution, we present the status and first data from the Radio Detector (RD) at the Pierre Auger Observatory, consisting of $1660$ radio antennas deployed across the $3000$ km$^2$ surface detector array. These antennas measure the radio emission from extensive air showers in the $30-80$ MHz band, enabling electromagnetic energy measurements for air showers with zenith angles above $65°$. Combined with the muonic measurements from the water-Cherenkov detectors (WCDs), this allows mass composition studies at the highest energies. The large-scale deployment of the RD began in November 2023 and was completed in November 2024. A full end-to-end calibration shows consistency between Galactic and in-lab calibration to better than $5$\% and includes continuous monitoring for hardware failures, ensuring, for example, antenna alignment within $5°$. We present the first data, demonstrating a strong correlation between the electromagnetic energy measured by the RD and the total shower energy measured by the WCD, confirming that the detector chain - including triggering, data readout, absolute calibration, and reconstruction is well understood. We highlight a particularly impressive $32$ EeV shower at a zenith angle of $85°$, producing a $50$ km-long radio footprint, showcasing the unique capabilities of this detector.

ArXiv.org
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 36%
Education, Psychology, and Social Research
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.