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High-energy cosmic ray physics studies particles with such extreme energies that we cannot create them on Earth, and provides insight into the most powerful processes in the universe. The main problem in this field is determining the exact origin of the particles (astrophysical sources) and their mass composition (e.g., whether they are protons or heavier nuclei).
Also interesting is the interaction of these particles with cosmic microwave radiation, which limits their detection at large distances (GZK limit and photodisintegration of nuclei), and uncertainties in hadronic interaction models describing the formation of atmospheric showers are also a problem.
The Pierre Auger Observatory, the world’s largest detector of its kind located in the Argentine pampas, is solving these mysteries thanks to its hybrid approach. It combines surface detectors with fluorescence telescopes, enabling accurate measurement of the energy and direction of arrival of primary particles. As a result, the observatory has refined the energy spectrum and provides data for a better understanding of the composition and delimitation of possible cosmic accelerators.
Our group focuses primarily on analyzing data from the fluorescence detector, which includes measuring the energy spectrum and mass composition of cosmic rays from hybrid data and data dominated by Cherenkov radiation. We also study anisotropies in the directions of primary particle arrivals, which helps in identifying sources.