Parametrization of the Relative Amplitude of Geomagnetic and Askaryan Radio Emission from Cosmic-Ray Air Showers using CORSIKA/CoREAS Simulations

Abstract

Cosmic rays are messengers from highly energetic events in the Universe. These rare ultra-highenergy particles can be detected efficiently and in an affordable way using large arrays of radio antennas. Linearly polarized geomagnetic emission is the dominant emission mechanism produced when charged particles in air showers get deflected in the Earth’s magnetic field. The sub-dominant Askaryan emission is radially polarized and produced due to the time-varying negative-charge excess in the shower front. The relative amplitude of these two emission components depends on various air shower parameters, such as the arrival direction and the depth of the shower maximum. We studied these dependencies using CoREAS simulations of the radio emission from air showers at the South Pole using a star-shaped antenna layout. On the one hand, the parametrization of the Askaryan-to-geomagnetic ratio can be used as input for a more accurate reconstruction of the shower energy. On the other hand, if measured precisely enough, this ratio may provide a new method to reconstruct the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum.