Horizon-T Extensive Air Showers detector system operations and performance

Abstract

"Horizon-T" is an innovative detector system located at Tien Shan high-altitude Science Station (TSHASS) at approximately 3340 meters above the sea level. It consists of eight detection points separated by the distance up to one kilometer that can measure time characteristics of the Extensive Air Showers (EAS) and record signal shapes with time resolution of ~10 ns. It was constructed to register EAS in the energy range above 10 16 eV coming from a wide range of zenith angles (0 o -85 o ). The system includes both the plastic scintillator particle detectors as well as the Vavilov -Cerenkov radiation detectors subsystem to observe the Cerenkov light from the EAS in the atmosphere directly. The time resolution and signal shape analysis capabilities of the detection points are used to study EAS development in the atmosphere.The development of the EAS is a process that can be studied both spatially and temporally. For the spatial part, a distributed network of detection points is required. For the time part, a signal shape must be recorded and analysed at each point with time resolution on the order of ~10 ns. In this paper, the current system description and performance level are described. Additionally, the latest data examples showing the unusual EAS examples above 10

Horizon-T experiment status

“…It is located 32 km from Almaty at the altitude of 3340 meters above the sea level. "Horizon-T" detector system [1] [2] is used to study EAS with parent particle of energies higher than 10 16 eV coming from a range of zenith angels (0 o -85 o ). "Horizon-T" is constructed to study space-time distribution of the charged particles in EAS disk and Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation from it.…”

Fast and simple glass-based charged particles detector with large linear detection range

“…To achieve the best possible pulse time resolution, a special care should be taken. Horizon-T [1] (HT) and the still under construction HT-KZ [2,3] cosmic rays detector systems pose to their detectors the requirements of fast response, ns-level pulse resolution, large detection range from single minimally ionizing particle (MIP) detection to many thousands and robustness at the same time. Another vital parameter to know is the uniformity of detector across its surface.…”

Simulation and design of the HT-KZ Ultra-high energy cosmic rays detector system for cosmic rays with energies above 10 17 eV

“…EAS occur as the primary particle interacts with the atmosphere. HT-KZ construction is executed in collaboration with Tien Shan high-altitude Science Station, a part of Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where the Horizon-T (HT) [1], [2] detector system, the predecessor to HT-KZ, operates currently.…”

“…The phenomenon of multimodal EAS is being studied by the HT [2]. Main motivations for the HT-KZ construction is to study in detail findings from HT to find the multimodal EAS source (a decay of the unknown heavy particle into several UHECR, existence of the exotic sources, e.g., dark matter particle decay).…”