Speaker
Description
We introduced a parameterization method to analyze the mean muon content $<\ln N_{\mu}>$ and its dispersion $\sigma^{2}(\ln N_{\mu})$ in relation to the mass composition of cosmic-rays. This approach enhances the Heitler model for air showers by employing a parameterization that incorporates the first two moments of the logarithmic mass distribution $\ln A$ and $\sigma^{2}_{\ln A}$. This method was tested through simulations with various mass distributions, demonstrating its applicability. We applied this method to data from LHAASO-KM2A, using three hadronic interaction models: QGSJET-II-04, EPOS-LHC, and SIBYLL 2.3d, for energies ranging from 0.3 to 30 PeV, thereby extracting the first two moments of the logarithmic mass distribution. Despite differences among these models, the results showed a consistent trend: as energy increases, $\sigma^{2}_{\ln A}$ decreases to a minimum at the knee region, then rises with further increases in energy. This method not only deepens our understanding of average mass but also elucidates the dynamics of mass dispersion. Additionally, it serves to validate the effectiveness of hadronic interaction models and aids in refining future models.
| Collaboration(s) | LHAASO Collaboration |
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