Testing of almost all the hadronic interaction models by comparing calculated muon energy spectrum with data

¹ Faculty of Physics M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
² Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
³ Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics named by A.I. Alikhanov of National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 117218 Moscow, Russia
⁴ National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI) Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, 115409 Moscow, Russia

^* e-mail: ddn@dec1.sinp.msu.ru ^** e-mail: lukyashin.anton@physics.msu.ru ^*** e-mail: ragatm@yandex.ru ^**** e-mail: fdr@dec1.sinp.msu.ru

Published online: 10 May 2019

Abstract

Uncertainties of the model energy spectra of the most energetic secondary charged mesons are discussed. Computer simulations of the partial energy spectra of the atmospheric vertical muons induced by primary cosmic particles with various fixed energies in terms of hadronic interactions models had been carried out with the help of the CORSIKA package. These partial spectra have been convolved with the contemporary spectra of the primary cosmic particles in the energy range 0.1-10 000 TeV. Results of simulations are compared with the contemporary data of the atmospheric vertical muon flux. Comparison shows that all models underestimate the production of secondary charged π^±-mesons (and K^±-mesons) by a factor of ~ 1.4 ÷ 2 at the highest energies. This underestimation induces a more rapid development of extensive air showers in the atmosphere and results in uncertainties in estimates of energy and composition of the primary cosmic particles.