Freiburg 2008 – scientific programme
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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik
T 85: Kosmische Strahlung V
T 85.3: Talk
Friday, March 7, 2008, 14:30–14:45, KGI-HS 1199
AirLight experiment calibration using Rayleigh scattering of UV light in Nitrogen and air — •Danays M.Gonzalez1, Clemens Batrla1, Johannes Blümer1,2, Hans Klages2, and Tilo Waldenmaier1,3 — 1Universität Karlsruhe, Institut für Experimentelle Kernphysik, Karlsruhe, Germany — 2Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut für Kernphysik, Karlsruhe, Germany — 3University of Delaware, Bartol Research Institute, Newark, United States
Fluorescence detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays requires a precise knowledge of the relation between the deposited energy in the atmosphere and the number of emitted fluorescence photons for the quantification of the primary energy of the extensive air shower. The AirLight experiment at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe has been used to measure, with high precision, the fluorescence yield of electrons in nitrogen and air, under atmospheric conditions. In order to improve the absolute accuracies obtained for the single nitrogen bands from the current 15% to values in the order of 10% or below, a method for the absolute calibration is being developed. The method, which uses Rayleigh scattering of UV laser beam, is based on a comparative measurement of the Photomultiplier Tube efficiencies to an energy probe with accuracy of ±5%.The experimental setup and preliminary measurements will be presented.