Mass composition in the Pierre Auger Observatory using time distributions

F. A. GOMEZ ALBARRACIN; M. T. DOVA

San Carlos de Bariloche

Workshop; XI ICFA School on Instrumentation in Elementary Particle Physics.; 2010

Centro Atómico Bariloche

(poster) We present a method to study the composition of the highest energy cosmic rays in the context of the Pierre Auger Collaboration. We introduce a new time parameter from the signals measured from the surface detectors, correlate it with the depth of the shower maximum (Xmax) , which is known to be related to the composition, using hybrid data. We are then able to reconstruct an elongation rate using the surface detector data, an compare it with the fluorescence detector data,  namely Xmax, and with simulations.