Lightning detection at the Pierre Auger Observatory

J. Rautenberg (Author), Andrej Filipčič (Author), Gašper Kukec Mezek (Author), A. Saleh (Author), Samo Stanič (Author), M. Trini (Author), Darko Veberič (Author), Serguei Vorobiov (Author), Lili Yang (Author), Danilo Zavrtanik (Author), Marko Zavrtanik (Author)

Abstract

The Auger Engineering Radio Array, an extension of the Pierre Auger Observatory with antennas in the MHz range, requires to monitor the atmospheric conditions, which have a large influence on the radio emission of air showers. In particular, amplified signals up to an order of magnitude have been detected as an affect of thunderstorms. For a more detailed investigation and more generally, for detecting thunderstorms, a new lightning detection system has been installed at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina. In addition, an electric-field mill measures the field strength on ground level at the antenna array. With these measurements, data periods affected by thunderstorms can be identified. Additionally, a lightning trigger for the water-Cherenkov detectors was developed to read out individual stations when a lightning was detected nearby. With these data, a possible correlation between the formation of lightning and cosmic rays can be investigated even at low energies of about 10[sup]15 eV. The structure and functionality of the lightning detection are described and first data analyses are shown.

Keywords

Auger Engineering Radio Array;atmospheric monitoring;lightning detectors;Pierre Auger Observatory;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2015
Typology:	1.08 - Published Scientific Conference Contribution
Organization:	UNG - University of Nova Gorica
UDC:	539.1
COBISS:	4153595
ISSN:	1824-8039
Views:	3756
Downloads:	194
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

URN:	URN:SI:UNG
Type (COBISS):	Not categorized
Pages:	8 str.
Chronology:	2015
ID:	9127915