High Energy Physics Seminars

A simulation study of the TAIGA scintillation detector array

by Dr. Arun Neelakandaiyer (Novosibirsk State University, Russia)

Thursday, March 23, 2023 from to (Asia/Kolkata)
at TIFR, Mumbai ( A-269 )
Description
The Tunka-Grande scintillation counter array of the TAIGA experiment in Tunka Valley is expanding with the new TAIGA-Muon stations. A simulation program has been developed to optimize these stations and study γ/p identification. Several simulation studies have been conducted. In the first stage, the optimization of the positioning and performance of the new stations is analysed. The extensive air showers (EASs) are simulated with the CORSIKA simulation tool, and the detector response is simulated with the GEANT4 package. EASs induced by gamma rays or protons in the range of 100 TeV to 1 PeV at a zenith angle of 0° are used for these studies. With the simulation developed, the capabilities of identifying high-energy EASs are studied. The soil thickness, the detector and station positions, the lowest measurable energy range of the cosmic rays, and different methods of air shower identification are investigated as part of this study. In the second stage, the identification performance of the array is been studied. For this, EASs induced by gamma rays or protons in the energy range from 1 to 10 PeV and the zenith angle range from 0°to 45° are used. To identify high-energy EASs, a method based on a neural network is developed. With this method, a proton identification efficiency of more than 90% and a gamma identification efficiency of not less than 50% are achieved.