Studies of particles associated with air showers of size around 3.10(^5) particles

Abstract

A study of particles associated with air-showers of median size 3,10(^5) particles has been undertaken. Measurements on muons indicate that the apparatus is inadequate to cope with regions greater than 30 m. from the core. However some interesting results have been produced within this limitation. There is strong evidence for non-random spacing of muons at densities greater than 1 m(^_2). The lateral distribution of hadrons of energy greater than 50 GeV is slightly steeper than for hadrons of energy greater than 10 GeV. The ratio of neutral to charged hadrons is a lot loner than predicted by current production models. A search for precursors to air-shovrers has also been carried out. The results imply that there are a statistically significant number of precursors in the range 20 to 100 us before the arrival of an air-shower. The early chapters concern themselves with measurements that can be made with the flash-tube chamber in isolation. A measurement of the incoherent hadron energy spectrum shows a smoothly falling spectrum between 7.10(^2) GeV and 5.10(^3) GeV of slope 2.7. An, upper limit of 2.3.10(^-8)cm(^-2)st(^-1)sec(^-1) has been placed on the sea level flux of high Z particles.