SMuK 2023 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 17: Cosmic Ray I

T 17.2: Talk

Monday, March 20, 2023, 16:45–17:00, POT/0013

Directional Calibration of radio antennas by using a drone emitter and information field theory for interpolating measured data at the Pierre Auger Observatory — Matthias Boddenberg, Martin Erdmann, •Alex Reuzki, and Maximilian Straub — III. Physikalisches Institut A, RWTH Aachen University

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays in the Earth's atmosphere induce extensive air showers. At the Pierre Auger Observatory those air showers are measured using various detection techniques including the type of Short Aperiodic Loaded Loop Antennas (SALLA) as part of the AugerPrime upgrade.

SALLA antennas have been calibrated in a limited solid angle using the galactic background together with simulations. Here we introduce a recently started drone campaign to enable the relative directional calibration over the full sphere. Following pilot measurements with a small drone, we use a well defined biconical antenna mounted to a sizable drone. With that we will be able extract the antenna pattern from any direction and distance. Furthermore we will use an additional GPS unit to measure the drone's position to cm accuracy such that the positional uncertainty is strongly reduced.

Finally we will interpolate the discrete measurements using information field theory (IFT) to obtain the full antenna pattern for all directions and frequencies.