A New Method for Measuring the Pion-Air Cross Section at Multi-TeV Energies Using Muon Bundle Properties in Deep Underground Detectors
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: The interaction cross section of charged pions with air nuclei is a critical parameter for accurately simulating extensive air showers. Improving the modeling of high-energy pion interactions is essential for addressing the muon puzzle—the observed deficit of muons in simulations compared to indirect experimental estimates. As collider experiments cannot directly probe these interactions, we propose a novel measurement approach using muon bundles detected in deep-underground water Cherenkov detectors, such as IceCube and KM3NeT. This method aims to constrain the pion–air inelastic cross section, thereby reducing uncertainties in air shower simulations and advancing our understanding of cosmic ray interactions.
DOI: 10.22323/1.501.0293
Authors: Karolin Hymon, Anatoli Fedynitch
Institutions: Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Academia Sinica
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4414437479
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