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arXiv · 1010.5224

The MIDAS experiment: A prototype for the microwave emission of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

M. Monasor·I. Alekotte·J. Alvarez-Muniz·A. Berlin·X. Bertou·M. Bodgan·M. Bohacova·C. Bonifazi·W. Carvalho·J. R. T. de Mello Neto·J. F. Genat·P. Facal San Luis·E. Mills·B. Rouille d'Orfeuil·S. Wayne·L. C. Reyes·E. M. Santos·P. Privitera·C. Williams·E. Zas
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Abstract

Recent measurements suggest that extensive air showers initiated by ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) emit signals in the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum caused by the collisions of the free-electrons with the atmospheric neutral molecules in the plasma produced by the passage of the shower. Such emission is isotropic and could allow the detection of air showers with 100% duty cycle and a calorimetric-like energy measurement, a significant improvement over current detection techniques. We have built MIDAS (MIcrowave Detection of Air Showers), a prototype of microwave detector, which consists of a 4.5 m diameter antenna with a cluster of 53 feed-horns in the 4 GHz range. The details of the prototype and first results will be presented.

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M. Monasor, I. Alekotte, J. Alvarez-Muniz, A. Berlin, X. Bertou, M. Bodgan, M. Bohacova, C. Bonifazi, W. Carvalho, J. R. T. de Mello Neto, J. F. Genat, P. Facal San Luis, E. Mills, B. Rouille d'Orfeuil, S. Wayne, L. C. Reyes, E. M. Santos, P. Privitera, C. Williams, E. Zas. 2010-10-25. The MIDAS experiment: A prototype for the microwave emission of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclphysbps.2011.03.135

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