Testing Hadronic-Model Predictions of Depth of Maximum of Air-Shower Profiles and Ground-Particle Signals using Hybrid Data of the Pierre Auger Observatory
Creators: name: The Pierre Auger Collaboration
name: Halim, A. Abdul
name: Abreu, P.
name: Aglietta, M.
name: Allekotte, I.
name: Cheminant, K. Almeida
name: Almela, A.
name: Aloisio, R.
name: Alvarez-Muñiz, J.
name: Yebra, J. Ammerman
name: Anastasi, G. A.
name: Anchordoqui, L.
name: Andrada, B.
name: Andringa, S.
name: Apollonio, L.
name: Aramo, C.
name: Ferreira, P. R. Araújo
name: Arnone, E.
name: Velázquez, J. C. Arteaga
name: Assis, P.
name: Avila, G.
name: Avocone, E.
name: Bakalova, A.
name: Barbato, F.
name: Mocellin, A. Bartz
name: Bellido, J. A.
name: Berat, C.
name: Bertaina, M. E.
name: Bhatta, G.
name: Bianciotto, M.
name: Biermann, P. L.
name: Binet, V.
name: Bismark, K.
name: Bister, T.
name: Biteau, J.
name: Blazek, J.
name: Bleve, C.
name: Blümer, J.
name: Boháčová, M.
name: Boncioli, D.
name: Bonifazi, C.
name: Arbeletche, L. Bonneau
name: Borodai, N.
name: Brack, J.
name: Orchera, P. G. Brichetto
name: Briechle, F. L.
name: Bueno, A.
name: Buitink, S.
name: Buscemi, M.
name: Büsken, M.
name: Bwembya, A.
name: Caballero-Mora, K. S.
name: Cabana-Freire, S.
name: Caccianiga, L.
name: Campuzano, F.
name: Caruso, R.
name: Castellina, A.
name: Catalani, F.
name: Cataldi, G.
name: Cazon, L.
name: Cerda, M.
name: Cermenati, A.
name: Chinellato, J. A.
name: Chudoba, J.
name: Chytka, L.
name: Clay, R. W.
name: Cerutti, A. C. Cobos
name: Colalillo, R.
name: Coluccia, M. R.
name: Conceição, R.
name: Condorelli, A.
name: Consolati, G.
name: Conte, M.
name: Convenga, F.
name: Santos, D. Correia dos
name: Costa, P. J.
name: Covault, C. E.
name: Cristinziani, M.
name: Sanchez, C. S. Cruz
name: Dasso, S.
name: Daumiller, K.
name: Dawson, B. R.
name: de Almeida, R. M.
name: de Jesús, J.
name: de Jong, S. J.
name: Neto, J. R. T. de Mello
name: De Mitri, I.
name: de Oliveira, J.
name: Franco, D. de Oliveira
name: de Palma, F.
name: de Souza, V.
name: de Errico, B. P. de Souza
name: De Vito, E.
name: Del Popolo, A.
name: Deligny, O.
name: Denner, N.
name: Deval, L.
name: di Matteo, A.
name: Dobre, M.
name: Dobrigkeit, C.
name: D'Olivo, J. C.
name: Mendes, L. M. Domingues
name: Dorosti, Q.
name: Anjos, J. C. dos
name: Anjos, R. C. dos
name: Ebr, J.
name: Ellwanger, F.
name: Emam, M.
name: Engel, R.
name: Epicoco, I.
name: Erdmann, M.
name: Etchegoyen, A.
name: Evoli, C.
name: Falcke, H.
name: Farrar, G.
name: Fauth, A. C.
name: Fazzini, N.
name: Feldbusch, F.
name: Fenu, F.
name: Fernandes, A.
name: Fick, B.
name: Figueira, J. M.
name: Filipčič, A.
name: Fitoussi, T.
name: Flaggs, B.
name: Fodran, T.
name: Fujii, T.
name: Fuster, A.
name: Galea, C.
name: Galelli, C.
name: García, B.
name: Gaudu, C.
name: Gemmeke, H.
name: Gesualdi, F.
name: Gherghel-Lascu, A.
name: Ghia, P. L.
name: Giaccari, U.
name: Glombitza, J.
name: Gobbi, F.
name: Gollan, F.
name: Golup, G.
name: Berisso, M. Gómez
name: Vitale, P. F. Gómez
name: Gongora, J. P.
name: González, J. M.
name: González, N.
name: Góra, D.
name: Gorgi, A.
name: Gottowik, M.
name: Grubb, T. D.
name: Guarino, F.
name: Guedes, G. P.
name: Guido, E.
name: Gülzow, L.
name: Hahn, S.
name: Hamal, P.
name: Hampel, M. R.
name: Hansen, P.
name: Harari, D.
name: Harvey, V. M.
name: Haungs, A.
name: Hebbeker, T.
name: Hojvat, C.
name: Hörandel, J. R.
name: Horvath, P.
name: Hrabovský, M.
name: Huege, T.
name: Insolia, A.
name: Isar, P. G.
name: Janecek, P.
name: Jilek, V.
name: Johnsen, J. A.
name: Jurysek, J.
name: Kampert, K. -H.
name: Keilhauer, B.
name: Khakurdikar, A.
name: Covilakam, V. V. Kizakke
name: Klages, H. O.
name: Kleifges, M.
name: Knapp, F.
name: Köhler, J.
name: Kunka, N.
name: Lago, B. L.
name: Langner, N.
name: de Oliveira, M. A. Leigui
name: Lema-Capeans, Y.
name: Letessier-Selvon, A.
name: Lhenry-Yvon, I.
name: Lopes, L.
name: Lu, L.
name: Luce, Q.
name: Lundquist, J. P.
name: Payeras, A. Machado
name: Majercakova, M.
name: Mandat, D.
name: Manning, B. C.
name: Mantsch, P.
name: Mariani, F. M.
name: Mariazzi, A. G.
name: Mariş, I. C.
name: Marsella, G.
name: Martello, D.
name: Martinelli, S.
name: Bravo, O. Martínez
name: Martins, M. A.
name: Mathes, H. -J.
name: Matthews, J.
name: Matthiae, G.
name: Mayotte, E.
name: Mayotte, S.
name: Mazur, P. O.
name: Medina-Tanco, G.
name: Meinert, J.
name: Melo, D.
name: Menshikov, A.
name: Merx, C.
name: Michal, S.
name: Micheletti, M. I.
name: Miramonti, L.
name: Mollerach, S.
name: Montanet, F.
name: Morejon, L.
name: Morello, C.
name: Mulrey, K.
name: Mussa, R.
name: Namasaka, W. M.
name: Negi, S.
name: Nellen, L.
name: Nguyen, K.
name: Nicora, G.
name: Niechciol, M.
name: Nitz, D.
name: Nosek, D.
name: Novotny, V.
name: Nožka, L.
name: Nucita, A.
name: Núñez, L. A.
name: Oliveira, C.
name: Palatka, M.
name: Pallotta, J.
name: Panja, S.
name: Parente, G.
name: Paulsen, T.
name: Pawlowsky, J.
name: Pech, M.
name: Pękala, J.
name: Pelayo, R.
name: Pereira, L. A. S.
name: Martins, E. E. Pereira
name: Armand, J. Perez
name: Bertolli, C. Pérez
name: Perrone, L.
name: Petrera, S.
name: Petrucci, C.
name: Pierog, T.
name: Pimenta, M.
name: Platino, M.
name: Pont, B.
name: Pothast, M.
name: Shahvar, M. Pourmohammad
name: Privitera, P.
name: Prouza, M.
name: Querchfeld, S.
name: Rautenberg, J.
name: Ravignani, D.
name: Akim, J. V. Reginatto
name: Reininghaus, M.
name: Ridky, J.
name: Riehn, F.
name: Risse, M.
name: Rizi, V.
name: de Carvalho, W. Rodrigues
name: Rodriguez, E.
name: Rojo, J. Rodriguez
name: Roncoroni, M. J.
name: Rossoni, S.
name: Roth, M.
name: Roulet, E.
name: Rovero, A. C.
name: Ruehl, P.
name: Saftoiu, A.
name: Saharan, M.
name: Salamida, F.
name: Salazar, H.
name: Salina, G.
name: Gomez, J. D. Sanabria
name: Sánchez, F.
name: Santos, E. M.
name: Santos, E.
name: Sarazin, F.
name: Sarmento, R.
name: Sato, R.
name: Savina, P.
name: Schäfer, C. M.
name: Scherini, V.
name: Schieler, H.
name: Schimassek, M.
name: Schimp, M.
name: Schmidt, D.
name: Scholten, O.
name: Schoorlemmer, H.
name: Schovánek, P.
name: Schröder, F. G.
name: Schulte, J.
name: Schulz, T.
name: Sciutto, S. J.
name: Scornavacche, M.
name: Sedoski, A.
name: Segreto, A.
name: Sehgal, S.
name: Shivashankara, S. U.
name: Sigl, G.
name: Silli, G.
name: Sima, O.
name: Simkova, K.
name: Simon, F.
name: Smau, R.
name: Šmída, R.
name: Sommers, P.
name: Soriano, J. F.
name: Squartini, R.
name: Stadelmaier, M.
name: Stanič, S.
name: Stasielak, J.
name: Stassi, P.
name: Strähnz, S.
name: Straub, M.
name: Suomijärvi, T.
name: Supanitsky, A. D.
name: Svozilikova, Z.
name: Szadkowski, Z.
name: Tairli, F.
name: Tapia, A.
name: Taricco, C.
name: Timmermans, C.
name: Tkachenko, O.
name: Tobiska, P.
name: Peixoto, C. J. Todero
name: Tomé, B.
name: Torrès, Z.
name: Travaini, A.
name: Travnicek, P.
name: Trimarelli, C.
name: Tueros, M.
name: Unger, M.
name: Vaclavek, L.
name: Vacula, M.
name: Galicia, J. F. Valdés
name: Valore, L.
name: Varela, E.
name: Vásquez-Ramírez, A.
name: Veberič, D.
name: Ventura, C.
name: Quispe, I. D. Vergara
name: Verzi, V.
name: Vicha, J.
name: Vink, J.
name: Vorobiov, S.
name: Watanabe, C.
name: Watson, A. A.
name: Weindl, A.
name: Wiencke, L.
name: Wilczyński, H.
name: Wittkowski, D.
name: Wundheiler, B.
name: Yue, B.
name: Yushkov, A.
name: Zapparrata, O.
name: Zas, E.
name: Zavrtanik, D.
name: Zavrtanik, M.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We test the predictions of hadronic interaction models regarding the depth of maximum of air-shower profiles, $X_{max}$, and ground-particle signals in water-Cherenkov detectors at 1000 m from the shower core, $S(1000)$, using the data from the fluorescence and surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The test consists in fitting the measured two-dimensional ($S(1000)$, $X_{max}$) distributions using templates for simulated air showers produced with hadronic interaction models EPOS-LHC, QGSJet II-04, Sibyll 2.3d and leaving the scales of predicted $X_{max}$ and the signals from hadronic component at ground as free fit parameters. The method relies on the assumption that the mass composition remains the same at all zenith angles, while the longitudinal shower development and attenuation of ground signal depend on the mass composition in a correlated way.
 The analysis was applied to 2239 events detected by both the fluorescence and surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory with energies between $10^{18.5}$ to $10^{19.0}$ eV and zenith angles below $60^\circ$. We found, that within the assumptions of the method, the best description of the data is achieved if the predictions of the hadronic interaction models are shifted to deeper $X_{max}$ values and larger hadronic signals at all zenith angles. Given the magnitude of the shifts and the data sample size, the statistical significance of the improvement of data description using the modifications considered in the paper is larger than $5σ$ even for any linear combination of experimental systematic uncertainties.
description: Published version