{
  "id": "1409.4809",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2014-09-16T21:23:44.000Z",
  "updated": "2014-09-16T21:23:44.000Z",
  "title": "Depth of Maximum of Air-Shower Profiles at the Pierre Auger Observatory: Measurements at Energies above 10^17.8 eV",
  "authors": [
    "Pierre Auger Collaboration"
  ],
  "comment": "submitted to Phys. Rev. D",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.HE",
    "astro-ph.IM"
  ],
  "abstract": "We report a study of the distributions of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of extensive air-shower profiles with energies above 10^17.8 eV as observed with the fluorescence telescopes of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The analysis method for selecting a data sample with minimal sampling bias is described in detail as well as the experimental cross-checks and systematic uncertainties. Furthermore, we discuss the detector acceptance and the resolution of the Xmax measurement and provide parameterizations thereof as a function of energy. The energy dependence of the mean and standard deviation of the Xmax-distributions are compared to air-shower simulations for different nuclear primaries and interpreted in terms of the mean and variance of the logarithmic mass distribution at the top of the atmosphere.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2014-09-16T21:23:44.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "subjects": [
      "98.70.Sa",
      "96.50.sd",
      "96.50.S-"
    ],
    "keywords": [
      "pierre auger observatory",
      "measurement",
      "logarithmic mass distribution",
      "systematic uncertainties",
      "extensive air-shower profiles"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "publication": {
      "doi": "10.1103/PhysRevD.90.122005",
      "journal": "Physical Review D",
      "year": 2014,
      "month": "Dec",
      "volume": 90,
      "number": 12,
      "pages": 122005
    },
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 0,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "inspire": 1317612,
      "adsabs": "2014PhRvD..90l2005A"
    }
  }
}