Operations of and Future Plans for the Pierre Auger Observatory

PIERRE AUGER COLL. J. ABRAHAM, M.T.DOVA ET AL

Polonia

Conferencia; 31st International Cosmic Ray Conference,; 2009

University of Łódź, Department of High Energy Astrophysics and Department of Astrophysics jointly with The Andrzej Sołtan Institute for Nuclear Studies, Division of Cosmic Ray Physics in Łódź,

The Surface Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory consists of 1660 water Cherenkov detectors that sample at the ground the charged particles and photons of air showers initiated by energetic cosmic rays. The construction of the array in Malarg¨ue, Argentina is now complete. A large fraction of the detectors have been operational for more than five years. Each detector records data locally with timing obtained from GPS units and power from solar panels and batteries. In this paper, the performance and the operation of the array are discussed. We emphasise the accuracy of the signal measurement, the stability of the triggering, the performance of the solar power system and other hardware, and the long-term purity of the water.