Caracterización del flujo de partículas secundarias provocadas por protones y rayos gamma en la atmósfera, para determinar el tipo de detectores de astropartículas adecuados a la región de Riobamba-Ecuador

Abstract

This research work aimed to characterize the flow of secondary particles caused by protons and gamma rays in the atmosphere of the city of Riobamba to determine the type of astroparticle detectors suitable for this region. Astroparticles from outer space with energies that surpass TeV, interact with the magnetic field and nuclei of the Earth’s atmosphere, forming the so-called extended atmospheric rain (EAS). A large number of primary particles were obtained through CORSIKA computer software where photons, electrons, positrons and muons were the highest density of secondary particles. In an hour of flow, it is necessary that the most abundant species are the nuclei of Hydrogen and Helium with energies from 13 GeV to 1000 TeV at an altitude of 2764 m.s.n.m and respective magnetic stiffness of 12.47 GeV. In addition, in the longitudinal distributions of the unit cascades coming from a proton and primary gamma with 1 TeV of energy with a zenith angle of 90 degrees where it was observed that the primary proton reaches a greater number of observable secondary for the city of Riobamba. The lateral distribution showed that for the muons to be observable, at least 3 Cherenkov type detectors covering an area of 1 square km are required. Finally, it is recommended to work with a wider variety of zenith angles, primary energy, simulation time, and altitudes higher than 4000 m.s.n.m that are easily found in Ecuador, as in the Chimborazo Volcano (6,268 m) or in the Cotopaxi Volcano (5,897 m) for more accurate and appropriate information about the area.