Reconstruction of extensive air showers and measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum in the range of 1 - 80 PeV at the South Pole [Elektronische Ressource] / von Stefan Klepser

Reconstruction of Extensive Air Showers andMeasurement of the Cosmic Ray EnergySpectrum in the Range of 1 – 80 PeV at theSouth PoleDISSERTATIONzur Erlangung des akademischen Gradesdoctor rerum naturalium(Dr. rer. nat.)im Fach Physikeingereicht an derMathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät IHumboldt-Universität zu BerlinvonHerr Dipl.-Phys. Stefan Klepsergeboren am 26.11.1977 in Heilbronn-NeckargartachPräsident der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin:Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Christoph MarkschiesDekan der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät I:Prof. Dr. Lutz-Helmut SchönGutachter:1. Prof. Dr. Hermann Kolanoski2. Prof. Dr. Thomas K. Gaisser3. Prof. Dr. Lohseeingereicht am: 24.04.2008Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 24.06.2008Abstract2IceTop is a km scale detector array for highly energetic cosmic radia-tion. It is a part of the IceCube Observatory that is presently being builtat the geographic South Pole. It aims for the detection of huge particlecascades induced by PeV cosmic rays in the atmosphere. These extensiveair showers are detected by cylindrical ice tanks that collect the Cherenkovlight produced by penetrating particles. The main goal of IceTop is theinvestigation of the energy distribution and chemical composition of PeV toEeV cosmic rays. This thesis presents the first analysis of highly energeticcosmic ray data taken with IceTop.First, thelightresponseoftheIceToptanksisparametrisedasafunctionof energy and particle type.