Measurement of the mean number of muons with energies above 500 GeV in air showers detected with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory


Abbasi R., Ackermann M., Adams J., Agarwalla S. K., Aguilar J. A., Ahlers M., ...More

PHYSICAL REVIEW D, vol.112, no.8, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 112 Issue: 8
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1103/lrjy-3hht
  • Journal Name: PHYSICAL REVIEW D
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, INSPEC, MathSciNet, zbMATH, Nature Index
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

We present a measurement of the mean number of muons with energies larger than 500 GeV in near-vertical extensive air showers initiated by cosmic rays with primary energies between 2.5 and 100 PeV. The measurement is based on events detected in coincidence between the surface and in-ice detectors of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. Air showers are recorded on the surface by IceTop, while a bundle of high-energy muons (TeV muons) from the shower can subsequently produce a tracklike event in the IceCube in-ice array. Results are obtained assuming the hadronic interaction models Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04, and EPOS-LHC. The measured number of TeV muons is found to be in agreement with predictions from air-shower simulations. The results have also been compared to a measurement of low-energy muons by IceTop, indicating an inconsistency between the predictions for low- and high-energy muons in simulations based on the EPOS-LHC model.