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On 2017 September 10 Neutron Monitors (NMs) apparatus located at ground level and high latitudes detected an increase in the counting rate associated to solar energetic particles (SEPs) emission from X8.2-class solar flare and its associated CME. This was the second-highest flare of the current solar cycle. The origin was the active region AR 12673 when it was located at the edge of the west solar disk, magnetically poorly connected with Earth. However, there was a peculiar condition: the solar protons accelerated by the CME shocks were injected within a heliospheric current sheet (HCS) region when Earth was crossing this region. We show that often HCS and SEPs propagation are closely related. If the source locations of SEPs are within or close to HCS, the HCS play the role of a Sun-Earth magnetic connection. SEPs drift around HCS paths, and SEPs are also drift in a wide range of longitudes by the HCSs. In some cases, and especially when Earth crosses the HCS sector, a fraction of these particles can reach Earth with a harder energetic particle flux, triggering a ground-level enhancement (GLE). The blast on 2017 September 10, which triggered the GLE #72, was the second in the current solar cycle. We show that the two GLEs, including all sub-GLEs observed in the current solar cycle, comes from solar explosions that happened within an HCS structure; this behavior is also observed in the GLEs of the previous solar cycle. In general, solar explosions from active regions poorly connected with Earth can trigger GLEs, through the mechanism described above. In all cases, the SEPs drift processes by HCS structures provides an efficient particle transport, allowing the observation of these solar transient events.

We report on the 22 – 23 June 2015 geomagnetic storm that occurred at the summer solstice. There have been fewer intense geomagnetic storms during the current solar cycle, Solar Cycle 24, than in the previous cycle. This situation changed after mid-June 2015, when one of the largest solar active regions (AR 12371) of Solar Cycle 24 that was located close to the central meridian, produced several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) associated with M-class flares. The impact of these CMEs on the Earth’s magnetosphere resulted in a moderate to severe G4-class geomagnetic storm on 22 – 23 June 2015 and a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm on 24 June. The G4 solstice storm was the second largest (so far) geomagnetic storm of Cycle 24. We highlight the ground-level observations made with the New-Tupi, Muonca, and the CARPET El Leoncito cosmic-ray detectors that are located within the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) region. These observations are studied in correlation with data obtained by space-borne detectors (ACE, GOES, SDO, and SOHO) and other ground-based experiments. The CME designations are taken from the Computer Aided CME Tracking (CACTus) automated catalog. As expected, Forbush decreases (FD) associated with the passing CMEs were recorded by these detectors. We note a peculiar feature linked to a severe geomagnetic storm event. The 21 June 2015 CME 0091 (CACTus CME catalog number) was likely associated with the 22 June summer solstice FD event. The angular width of CME 0091 was very narrow and measured ∼ 56 ∘ degrees seen from Earth. In most cases, only CME halos and partial halos lead to severe geomagnetic storms. We perform a cross-check analysis of the FD events detected during the rise phase of Solar Cycle 24, the geomagnetic parameters, and the CACTus CME catalog. Our study suggests that narrow angular-width CMEs that erupt in a westward direction from the Sun–Earth line can lead to moderate and severe geomagnetic storms. We also report on the strong solar proton radiation storm that began on 21 June. We did not find a signal from this SEP at ground level. The details of these observations are presented.

Here we present a status report of the Schenberg antenna. In the past three years it has gone to a radical upgrading operation, in which we have been installing a 1K pot dilution refrigerator, cabling and amplifiers for nine transducer circuits, designing a new suspension and vibration isolation system for the microstrip antennas, and developing a full set of new transducers, microstrip antennas, and oscillators. We are also studying an innovative approach, which could transform Schenberg into a broadband gravitational wave detector.

We present a measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum above 100 PeV using the part of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory that has a spacing of 750 m. An inflection of the spectrum is observed, confirming the presence of the so-called second-knee feature. The spectrum is then combined with that of the 1500 m array to produce a single measurement of the flux, linking this spectral feature with the three additional breaks at the highest energies. The combined spectrum, with an energy scale set calorimetrically via fluorescence telescopes and using a single detector type, results in the most statistically and systematically precise measurement of spectral breaks yet obtained. These measurements are critical for furthering our understanding of the highest energy cosmic rays.

Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory during the past 3.7 years, we demonstrated a correlation between the arrival directions of cosmic rays with energy above 6 × 10 19 electron volts and the positions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) lying within ∼75 megaparsecs. We rejected the hypothesis of an isotropic distribution of these cosmic rays with at least a 99% confidence level from a prescribed a priori test. The correlation we observed is compatible with the hypothesis that the highest-energy particles originate from nearby extragalactic sources whose flux has not been substantially reduced by interaction with the cosmic background radiation. AGN or objects having a similar spatial distribution are possible sources.

On 2017 September 10 Neutron Monitors (NMs) apparatus located at ground level and high latitudes detected an increase in the counting rate associated to solar energetic particles (SEPs) emission from X8.2-class solar flare and its associated CME. This was the second-highest flare of the current solar cycle. The origin was the active region AR 12673 when it was located at the edge of the west solar disk, magnetically poorly connected with Earth. However, there was a peculiar condition: the solar protons accelerated by the CME shocks were injected within a heliospheric current sheet (HCS) region when Earth was crossing this region. We show that often HCS and SEPs propagation are closely related. If the source locations of SEPs are within or close to HCS, the HCS play the role of a Sun–Earth magnetic connection. SEPs drift around HCS paths, and SEPs are also drift in a wide range of longitudes by the HCSs. In some cases, and especially when Earth crosses the HCS sector, a fraction of these particles can reach Earth with a harder energetic particle flux, triggering a ground-level enhancement (GLE). The blast on 2017 September 10, which triggered the GLE #72, was the second in the current solar cycle. We show that the two GLEs, including all sub-GLEs observed in the current solar cycle, comes from solar explosions that happened within an HCS structure; this behavior is also observed in the GLEs of the previous solar cycle. In general, solar explosions from active regions poorly connected with Earth can trigger GLEs, through the mechanism described above. In all cases, the SEPs drift processes by HCS structures provides an efficient particle transport, allowing the observation of these solar transient events.

The X-ARAPUCA device is the baseline choice for the photon detection system of the first far detector module of the DUNE experiment. We present the results of the first complete characterization of a small scale X-ARAPUCA prototype, which is a slice of a full DUNE module. Its total detection efficiency in liquid argon was measured with three different ionizing radiations: \\(\\) particles, \\(\\)'s and muons and resulted to be \\(\\)2.2% when the active silicon photomultipliers were biased at +5.0 V of over voltage, corresponding to a Photon Detection Efficiency around 50% at room temperature. This value comfortably satisfies the requirements of the first DUNE far detector module (detection efficiency \\(>\\)2.0%) and allows to achieve an energy resolution comparable to the one achievable with the Time Projection Chambers for energies below 10 MeV, which is the region relevant for Supernova neutrino detection.

Abstract The hybrid design of the Pierre Auger Observatory allows for the measurement of the properties of extensive air showers initiated by ultra-high energy cosmic rays with unprecedented precision. By using an array of prototype underground muon detectors, we have performed the first direct measurement, by the Auger Collaboration, of the muon content of air showers between$$2\\times 10^{17}$$2×1017 and$$2\\times 10^{18}$$2×1018 eV. We have studied the energy evolution of the attenuation-corrected muon density, and compared it to predictions from air shower simulations. The observed densities are found to be larger than those predicted by models. We quantify this discrepancy by combining the measurements from the muon detector with those from the Auger fluorescence detector at$$10^{{17.5}}\\, {\\mathrm{eV}} $$1017.5eV and$$10^{{18}}\\, {\\mathrm{eV}} $$1018eV . We find that, for the models to explain the data, an increase in the muon density of$$38\\%$$38%$$\\pm 4\\% (12\\%)$$±4%(12%)$$\\pm {}^{21\\%}_{18\\%}$$±18%21% for EPOS-LHC, and of$$50\\% (53\\%)$$50%(53%)$$\\pm 4\\% (13\\%)$$±4%(13%)$$\\pm {}^{23\\%}_{20\\%}$$±20%23% for QGSJetII-04, is respectively needed.

The hybrid design of the Pierre Auger Observatory allows for the measurement of the properties of extensive air showers initiated by ultra-high energy cosmic rays with unprecedented precision. By using an array of prototype underground muon detectors, we have performed the first direct measurement, by the Auger Collaboration, of the muon content of air showers between 2 × 10 17 and 2 × 10 18 eV. We have studied the energy evolution of the attenuation-corrected muon density, and compared it to predictions from air shower simulations. The observed densities are found to be larger than those predicted by models. We quantify this discrepancy by combining the measurements from the muon detector with those from the Auger fluorescence detector at 10 17.5 eV and 10 18 eV . We find that, for the models to explain the data, an increase in the muon density of 38 % ± 4 % ( 12 % ) ± 18 % 21 % for EPOS-LHC , and of 50 % ( 53 % ) ± 4 % ( 13 % ) ± 20 % 23 % for QGSJetII-04 , is respectively needed.

On 2017 September 10 Neutron Monitors (NMs) apparatus located at ground level and high latitudes detected an increase in the counting rate associated to solar energetic particles (SEPs) emission from X8.2-class solar flare and its associated CME. This was the second-highest flare of the current solar cycle. The origin was the active region AR 12673 when it was located at the edge of the west solar disk, magnetically poorly connected with Earth. However, there was a peculiar condition: the solar protons accelerated by the CME shocks were injected within a heliospheric current sheet (HCS) region when Earth was crossing this region. We show that often HCS and SEPs propagation are closely related. If the source locations of SEPs are within or close to HCS, the HCS play the role of a Sun\\(-\\)Earth magnetic connection. SEPs drift around HCS paths, and SEPs are also drift in a wide range of longitudes by the HCSs. In some cases, and especially when Earth crosses the HCS sector, a fraction of these particles can reach Earth with a harder energetic particle flux, triggering a ground-level enhancement (GLE). The blast on 2017 September 10, which triggered the GLE \\#72, was the second in the current solar cycle. We show that the two GLEs, including all sub-GLEs observed in the current solar cycle, comes from solar explosions that happened within an HCS structure; this behavior is also observed in the GLEs of the previous solar cycle. In general, solar explosions from active regions poorly connected with Earth can trigger GLEs, through the mechanism described above. In all cases, the SEPs drift processes by HCS structures provides an efficient particle transport, allowing the observation of these solar transient events.