1. HELYCON Hellenic Lyeum Cosmic Observatories Network Developing and Constructing An Extensive Air Shower Detector Antonis Leisos Hep2006-Ioannina Hellenic Open University University of Patras University of Athens National technical University NRCPS Demokritos

2. Cosmic Ray Energy Spectrum

3. The Concept primary mass energy age, Xmax space angle shower core

4. Single Station GPS Scintillator-PMT DAQ ~20 m 1 m 2 Single Station Set-Up Triangulation Shower Direction

5. Multi Station Set up GPS Synchronisation

6. The HELYCON Scintillation Module Scintillator 2 Scintillator 3 GPS timestamp Station Server

7. Prototype Construction 10 x 12 cm tiles 80 tiles ~ 0.96 m 2 12 WLS fibers per row Single PMT read out

8. Scintillators & WLS fibers WLS fibers: Bicron (BCF-91A) Light attenuation length: 330cm Scintillators : Protvino (Russia) Emission spectrum:420 nm Decay time 2 ns

9. PMT Testing Photonis XP-1912 Standard, 10-stage, 19 mm (3/4") round tube

10. Detector Testing

11. DAQ GPS Input USB Port Trigger Ouput4 PMT Signal Inputs 25ps accuracy TDC

12. DAQ Handles 4-channels Adjustable PMT Thresholds Relative Arrival times < 1ns Estimates Pulse sizes (TOT) and Shapes Synchronization with GPS ~ 25ns Digital Interface to PC Slow Controls & Environmental Monitoring HPTDC 32 channels (LR) – 8 Channels (HR) 25ps (HR) to 800 ps (LR) accuracy Self Calibrating GPS (Motorola M12+Timing Oncore) 25 ns UTC accuracy can be better (up to 5ns)

13. Software Tools CORSICA (Extensive Air Shower Simulation) GEANT4 (Scintillation, WLS & PMT response)

14. Software Tools DAQSIM (DAQ Simulation) HOUANA (Analysis & Track Reconstruction) Time (ns) Height (mV) Zentih (degrees)

15. Monte Carlo Studies Reconstruction of Shower Direction Reconstruction of the Shower Core Properties Vertical Proton Showers (10 6 -10 7 GeV) Distance from core (m) Particles/m 2

16. Monte Carlo Studies Needed corrections curvature thickness ns after 1 st particle Core distance>500m

17. Monte Carlo Studies Time Delay (ns) Distance from core (mm) Time Spread (ns) Distance from core (mm) Some Corrections (thickness) Vertical Proton Showers (10 6 -10 7 GeV)

18. Monte Carlo Studies Θ rec -Θ true Pull Single Station Performance Vertical Proton Showers (10 6 -10 7 GeV)

19. Monte Carlo Studies Distance from core (m) Reconstruction efficiencyResolution (degrees) Single Station Performance Vertical Proton Showers (10 6 -10 7 GeV) SQC (σ θ =6.4)

20. Monte Carlo Studies Examples of a 3-Station Performance (Crude Analysis) Vertical Proton Showers (10 6 -10 7 GeV) Threshold Charge (pes) Resolution per reconstructed track (degrees)

21. HELYCON Online Control & Data Analysis Package control real time monitor shower reconstruction data analysis real data & data summary storage graphics & presenter

22. Time Schedule Prototype detector full test (PMT and Scintillator) May 2006 Production & test of 15 detectors July 2006 (2 detectors per week) Electronics TestingMay-June 2006 (the prototype is currently tested) DAQ Test + DetectorsJuly-September 2006 Online Software-Analysis Tools-Reconstruction Strategy Development -September 2006 3 station RunAutumn 2006

23. HELYCON in Patras 10 19 eV 10 17 eV 10 15 eV 2 km

24. Eurocosmics

25. The General Idea… Angular offset Efficiency Resolution Position

26. The Example of Amanda-Spase 30 stations (4 scint. 0.2 m 2 in a triangular grid, 30m spacing) B10 resolution 3.8 degrees

27. ~4km ~20km Very High Energy Very High Zenith Angle Extreme low rate

28. Floating stations (Sea Technology?) The Concept We propose a minimum of 3 stations with at least 3 m 2 scintillator detectors each

29. Monte Carlo Studies Examples of a Multi-Station Performance (Crude Analysis) Vertical Proton Showers (10 6 -10 7 GeV) Station Configuration Not need for position holding Resolution in determining a possible Angular Offset (degrees)-10 day operation Number of stations