Extreme energy cosmic rays (EECR) observation capabilities of an “Airwatch from space” mission

• Published in: Nuclear physics. Section B, Proceedings supplement Vol. 70; no. 1; pp. 515 - 517
• Main Authors: De Marzo, C.N., Ambriola, M., Bellotti, R., Cafagna, F., Ciacio, F., Circella, M., Mirizzi, N., Montaruli, T., Giovannelli, G., Kostandinov, I., Bonanno, G., Fonte, R., Adriani, O., Becattini, G., Spillantini, P., Mazzinghi, P., Toci, G., Fontanelli, F., Gracco, V., Petrolini, A., Piana, G., Sannino, M., D'Ali, G., Scarsi, L., Agnetta, G., Catalano, O., Giarrusso, S., Maccarrone, M.C., Sacco, B., Lipari, P., Stefani, M., Giannini, G., Bratina, V., Gregorio, A., Stalio, R., Trampus, P., Visintini, B., Cepek, C., Laine, A., Mangano, E., Sancrotti, M., Capdevielle, J.N., Khrenov, B., Panasyuk, M., Linsley, J., Takahashi, Y., Broadfoot, L.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 1999
• ISSN: 0920-5632; 1873-3832
• DOI: 10.1016/S0920-5632(98)00487-3

The longitudinal development and other characteristics of the EECR induced atmospheric showers can be studied from space by detecting the fluorescence light induced in the atmospheric nitrogen. According to the Airwatch concept a single fast detector can be used for measuring both intensity and time development of the streak of fluorescence light produced by the atmospheric shower induced by an EECR. In the present communication the detection capabilities for the EECR observation from space are discussed.