The Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory
Abstract
The Pierre Auger Observatory, located on a vast, high plain in western Argentina, is the world's largest cosmic ray observatory. The objectives of the Observatory are to probe the origin and characteristics of cosmic rays above 10 17 eV and to study the interactions of these, the most energetic particles observed in nature. The Auger design features an array of 1660 water Cherenkov particle detector stations spread over 3000 km 2 overlooked by 24 air fluorescence telescopes. In addition, three high elevation fluorescence telescopes overlook a 23.5 km 2 , 61-detector infilled array with 750 m spacing. The Observatory has been in successful operation since completion in 2008 and has recorded data from an exposure exceeding 40,000 km 2 sr yr. This paper describes the design and performance of the detectors, related subsystems and infrastructure that make up the Observatory.
Funding
- National Science Foundation
- U.S. Department of Energy
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
- National Foundation for Science and Technology Development
- Fundación Antorchas
- Grainger Foundation
- Comunidad de Madrid
- Strong
- European Commission
- Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Stichting voor Fundamenteel Onderzoek der Materie
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
- Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy
- Grantová Agentura České Republiky
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
- Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Gobierno de Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología
- Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca
- Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Conseil Régional, Île-de-France
- Narodowe Centrum Nauki
- Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS
- Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
- Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica
- Autoritatea Natională pentru Cercetare Stiintifică
- Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii
- Ministerio de Educación de la Nación
- Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia
- Xunta de Galicia
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
- Helmholtz Alliance for Astroparticle Physics
- Science and Technology Facilities Council
- Australian Research Council
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
- Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
- Seventh Framework Programme
- Narodowe Centrum Badań i Rozwoju
- Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
- FP7 People: Marie-Curie Actions
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