Search for photons above 10<sup>19</sup> eV with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
P. AbreuLaboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas – LIP and Instituto Superior Técnico – IST, Universidade de Lisboa – UL, Lisboa, PortugalM. AgliettaINFN, Sezione di Torino, Torino, ItalyI. AllekotteCentro Atómico Bariloche and Instituto Balseiro (CNEA-UNCuyo-CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche, ArgentinaKévin Almeida CheminantInstitute of Nuclear Physics PAN, Krakow, PolandA. AlmelaInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaJaime Álvarez-MuñizInstituto Galego de Física de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainJuan Ammerman YebraInstituto Galego de Física de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainGioacchino Alex AnastasiINFN, Sezione di Torino, Torino, ItalyLuis A. AnchordoquiDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Lehman College, City University of New York, Bronx, NY, U.S.AB. AndradaInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaS. AndringaLaboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas – LIP and Instituto Superior Técnico – IST, Universidade de Lisboa – UL, Lisboa, PortugalC. AramoINFN, Sezione di Napoli, Napoli, ItalyPaulo Ricardo Araújo FerreiraRWTH Aachen University, III. Physikalisches Institut A, Aachen, GermanyE. ArnoneINFN, Sezione di Torino, Torino, ItalyJ.C. Arteaga VelázquezUniversidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán, MéxicoH. AsoreyInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaP. AssisLaboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas – LIP and Instituto Superior Técnico – IST, Universidade de Lisboa – UL, Lisboa, PortugalG. ÁvilaObservatorio Pierre Auger and Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Malargüe, ArgentinaEmanuele AvoconeINFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Assergi (L'Aquila), ItalyAlina Mihaela BadescuUniversity Politehnica of Bucharest, Bucharest, RomaniaAlena BakalováInstitute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech RepublicA. Balaceanu“Horia Hulubei” National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Bucharest-Magurele, RomaniaFelicia BarbatoGran Sasso Science Institute, L'Aquila, ItalyJose A. BellidoUniversidad Nacional de San Agustin de Arequipa, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Formales, Arequipa, PeruC. BeratUniversité Grenoble AlpesM. E. BertainaINFN, Sezione di Torino, Torino, ItalyGopal BhattaInstitute of Nuclear Physics PAN, Krakow, PolandPeter L. BiermannInstituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE, CONICET-UBA), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaV. BinetInstituto de Física de Rosario (IFIR) – CONICET/U.N.R. and Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas U.N.R., Rosario, ArgentinaK. BismarkInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaTeresa BisterRWTH Aachen University, III. Physikalisches Institut A, Aachen, GermanyJonathan BiteauUniversité Paris-Saclay, CNRS/IN2P3, IJCLab, Orsay, FranceJiří BlažekInstitute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech RepublicC. BleveUniv. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble Institute of Engineering Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LPSC-IN2P3, 38000 Grenoble, FranceJ. BlümerKarlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Astroparticle Physics, Karlsruhe, GermanyM. BoháčováInstitute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech RepublicDenise BoncioliINFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Assergi (L'Aquila), ItalyC. BonifaziInternational Center of Advanced Studies and Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, ECyT-UNSAM and CONICET, Campus Miguelete – San Martín, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaL. Bonneau ArbeletcheUniversidade Estadual de Campinas, IFGW, Campinas, SP, BrazilNataliia BorodaiInstitute of Nuclear Physics PAN, Krakow, PolandJ. BrackDepartamento de Física and Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y los Océanos, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires and CONICET, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaT. BretzRWTH Aachen University, III. Physikalisches Institut A, Aachen, GermanyP. Gabriel Brichetto OrcheraInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaF.L. BriechleRWTH Aachen University, III. Physikalisches Institut A, Aachen, GermanyP. BuchholzUniversität Siegen, Department Physik – Experimentelle Teilchenphysik, Siegen, GermanyA. BuenoUniversidad de Granada and C.A.F.P.E., Granada, SpainS. BuitinkVrije Universiteit Brussels, Brussels, BelgiumMario BuscemiINFN, Sezione di Catania, Catania, ItalyMax BüskenInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaAnthony BwembyaIMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The NetherlandsK. S. Caballero‐MoraUniversidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, MéxicoLorenzo CaccianigaINFN, Sezione di Milano, Milano, ItalyI. CaracasBergische Universität Wuppertal, Department of Physics, Wuppertal, GermanyR. CarusoINFN, Sezione di Catania, Catania, ItalyA. CastellinaINFN, Sezione di Torino, Torino, ItalyF. CatalaniUniversidade de São Paulo, Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, Lorena, SP, BrazilG. CataldiINFN, Sezione di Lecce, Lecce, ItalyLorenzo CazonInstituto Galego de Física de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainM. CerdaObservatorio Pierre Auger, Malargüe, ArgentinaJ. ChinellatoUniversidade Estadual de Campinas, IFGW, Campinas, SP, BrazilJ. ChudobaInstitute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech RepublicL. ChytkaPalacky University, RCPTM, Olomouc, Czech RepublicR. W. ClayUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, S.A., AustraliaA.C. Cobos CeruttiInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), and Universidad Tecnológica Nacional – Facultad Regional Mendoza (CONICET/CNEA), Mendoza, ArgentinaRoberta ColalilloINFN, Sezione di Napoli, Napoli, ItalyA. ColemanUniversity of Delaware, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bartol Research Institute, Newark, DE, U.S.AM. R. ColucciaINFN, Sezione di Lecce, Lecce, ItalyR. ConceiçãoLaboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas – LIP and Instituto Superior Técnico – IST, Universidade de Lisboa – UL, Lisboa, PortugalA. CondorelliGran Sasso Science Institute, L'Aquila, ItalyG. ConsolatiINFN, Sezione di Milano, Milano, ItalyF. ContrerasObservatorio Pierre Auger and Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Malargüe, ArgentinaFabio ConvengaKarlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Astroparticle Physics, Karlsruhe, GermanyDiego Correia dos SantosUniversidade Federal Fluminense, EEIMVR, Volta Redonda, RJ, BrazilC. E. CovaultCase Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, U.S.AM. CristinzianiUniversität Siegen, Department Physik – Experimentelle Teilchenphysik, Siegen, GermanyS. DassoDepartamento de Física and Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y los Océanos, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires and CONICET, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaK. DaumillerKarlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Astroparticle Physics, Karlsruhe, GermanyB. R. DawsonUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, S.A., AustraliaR. M. de AlmeidaUniversidade Federal Fluminense, EEIMVR, Volta Redonda, RJ, BrazilJ. de JesúsInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaS. J. de JongIMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The NetherlandsJ.R.T. de Mello NetoUniversidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Observatório do Valongo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilI. De MitriGran Sasso Science Institute, L'Aquila, ItalyJ. de OliveiraInstituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), BrazilDanelise de Oliveira FrancoUniversidade Estadual de Campinas, IFGW, Campinas, SP, BrazilF. de PalmaINFN, Sezione di Lecce, Lecce, ItalyV. de SouzaUniversidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Física de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, BrazilEmanuele De VitoINFN, Sezione di Lecce, Lecce, ItalyA. Del PopoloINFN, Sezione di Catania, Catania, ItalyOlivier DelignyLaboratoire de Physique des 2 Infinis Irène Joliot-CurieL. DevalInstituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaA. di MatteoINFN, Sezione di Torino, Torino, ItalyM. Dobre“Horia Hulubei” National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Bucharest-Magurele, RomaniaC. DobrigkeitUniversidade Estadual de Campinas, IFGW, Campinas, SP, BrazilJ.C. D'OlivoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F., MéxicoLuis Miguel Domingues MendesLaboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas – LIP and Instituto Superior Técnico – IST, Universidade de Lisboa – UL, Lisboa, PortugalR. C. dos AnjosUniversidade Federal do Paraná, Setor Palotina, Palotina, BrazilJan EbrInstitute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech RepublicM. EmanIMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The NetherlandsR. EngelKarlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Astroparticle Physics, Karlsruhe, Germany
2023en
ABI
Abstract
Abstract We use the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory to search for air showers initiated by photons with an energy above 10 19 eV. Photons in the zenith angle range from 30 ∘ to 60 ∘ can be identified in the overwhelming background of showers initiated by charged cosmic rays through the broader time structure of the signals induced in the water-Cherenkov detectors of the array and the steeper lateral distribution of shower particles reaching ground. Applying the search method to data collected between January 2004 and June 2020, upper limits at 95% CL are set to an E -2 diffuse flux of ultra-high energy photons above 10 19 eV, 2 × 10 19 eV and 4 × 10 19 eV amounting to 2.11 × 10 -3 , 3.12 × 10 -4 and 1.72 × 10 -4 km -2 sr -1 yr -1 , respectively. While the sensitivity of the present search around 2 × 10 19 eV approaches expectations of cosmogenic photon fluxes in the case of a pure-proton composition, it is one order of magnitude above those from more realistic mixed-composition models. The inferred limits have also implications for the search of super-heavy dark matter that are discussed and illustrated.
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Cited by 30 references