Large scale anisotropy studies of ultra high energy cosmic rays using data taken with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory [Elektronische Ressource] / Marius Grigat

Large Scale Anisotropy Studiesof Ultra High Energy Cosmic RaysUsing Data Taken with the Surface Detectorof the Pierre Auger ObservatoryVon der Fakulta¨t fu¨r Mathematik, Informatik und Naturwissenschaften derRWTH Aachen University zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades einesDoktors der Naturwissenschaften genehmigte Dissertationvorgelegt vonDiplom-PhysikerMarius Grigataus Waldbro¨lBerichter: Prof. Dr. Thomas HebbekerProf. Dr. Martin ErdmannTag der mu¨ndlichen Pru¨fung: 10.06.2011Diese Dissertation ist auf den Internetseiten der Hochschulbibliothek online verfu¨gbar.”Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.”Wyatt Earpfor Julia, Paula and TillAbstractThe distribution of arrival directions of cosmic rays is remarkably uniform over the complete spectrumof energies. At large angular scales only tiny deviations from isotropy have been observed and hugestatistics are required to quantify the corresponding amplitudes. The measurement of cosmic rays15with energies above 10 eV is only feasible with large, earthbound observatories: The cosmic rayprimary particles initiate cascades of secondary particles in the Earth’s atmosphere. Every aspect ofthe development of these air showers down to the measurement of the resulting particles at groundlevel needs to be well understood and controlled in order to precisely reconstruct the properties of theprimary particle.