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2026-06-11 23:58

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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2026 Meeting

Section: High-Energy Physics

Title:

Analysis of Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays using the Pierre Auger Observatory Open Data

Authors:

Cristina Gabriela ULEA(1), Paula Gina ISAR(2), Călin ALEXA(3)

Affiliation:

1)Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, Atomiștilor 405, RO-077125, Măgurele, România

2)Institute of Space Science - INFLPR Subsidiary, Atomiștilor 409, RO-077125, Măgurele, România

3)IFIN-HH, Reactorului 30, RO-077125, P.O.B. MG-6, Măgurele, România

E-mail

ulea.cristina38@yahoo.com gina.isar@spacescience.ro Calin.Alexa@cern.ch

Keywords:

Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays, Pierre Auger Observatory, arrival directions, air showers, Open Data

Abstract:

Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) are the most energetic particles in the Universe, with energies above 1 EeV. They originate from extra-galactic sources, and yet their current origins remain difficult to pinpoint as their trajectories are deflected by powerful magnetic fields. This study presents an analysis of UHECR Open Data from the Pierre Auger Observatory (Auger), referring to several candidate sources on the sky. We look at the entire Auger Open Data focusing on specific angular distributions ranging from 10, 15 and 20 degrees around the targeted sources. The temporal distribution of the events was analyzed across several years of observation, highlighting both vertical and horizontal air showers. The physical properties of the air showers were further characterized to better understand the mass-composition of the primary cosmic rays. This was achieved by examining the relationship between the primary particle energy and two mass-sensitive parameters, such as depth of the shower maximum and the surface detector signal, respectively. Linking the arrival directions on a galactic coordinate sky map with properties of the air showers allows for an in-depth understanding of the measured UHECR events, with a particular emphasis on mass-composition.

References:

[1] Pierre Auger Collaboration, Pierre Auger Observatory Open Data, The European Physical Journal C 85 (2025) 70, Available at: [https://opendata.auger.org]

[2] Pierre Auger Collaboration, Auger Open Data release 2024, DOI:10.5281/zenodo.10488964

[3] A. Aab et al. [The Pierre Auger Collaboration], "Observation of a large-scale anisotropy in the arrival directions of cosmic rays above 8 x 10^18 eV", Science 357 (2017) 1266-1270

[4] A. Abdul Halim et al. [The Pierre Auger Collaboration], Large-scale Cosmic-ray Anisotropies with 19 yr of Data from the Pierre Auger Observatory, The Astrophysical Journal 976 (2024) 48

[5] P. Abreu et al. [The Pierre Auger Collaboration], Arrival Directions of Cosmic Rays above 32 EeV from Phase One of the Pierre Auger Observatory, The Astrophysical Journal 935 (2022) 170

[6] A. Abdul Halim et al. [The Pierre Auger Collaboration], A Catalog of the Highest-energy Cosmic Rays Recorded during Phase I of Operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 264 (2023) 50

Acknowledgement:

Acknowledgements: For PGI, this research was supported by the Romanian Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization under the Romanian National Core Program LAPLAS VII - contract no. 30N/2023.