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arXiv · 1702.01392

Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter

The Pierre Auger Collaboration·A. Aab·P. Abreu·M. Aglietta·I. Al Samarai·I. F. M. Albuquerque·I. Allekotte·A. Almela·J. Alvarez Castillo·J. Alvarez-Muñiz·G. A. Anastasi·L. Anchordoqui·B. Andrada·S. Andringa·C. Aramo·F. Arqueros·N. Arsene·H. Asorey·P. Assis·J. Aublin·G. Avila·A. M. Badescu·A. Balaceanu·F. Barbato·R. J. Barreira Luz·J. J. Beatty·K. H. Becker·J. A. Bellido·C. Berat·M. E. Bertaina·X. Bertou·P. L. Biermann·P. Billoir·J. Biteau·S. G. Blaess·A. Blanco·J. Blazek·C. Bleve·M. Boháčová·D. Boncioli·C. Bonifazi·N. Borodai·A. M. Botti·J. Brack·I. Brancus·T. Bretz·A. Bridgeman·F. L. Briechle·P. Buchholz·A. Bueno·S. Buitink·M. Buscemi·K. S. Caballero-Mora·L. Caccianiga·A. Cancio·F. Canfora·L. Caramete·R. Caruso·A. Castellina·G. Cataldi·L. Cazon·A. G. Chavez·J. A. Chinellato·J. Chudoba·R. W. Clay·A. Cobos·R. Colalillo·A. Coleman·L. Collica·M. R. Coluccia·R. Conceição·G. Consolati·F. Contreras·M. J. Cooper·S. Coutu·C. E. Covault·J. Cronin·S. D'Amico·B. Daniel·S. Dasso·K. Daumiller·B. R. Dawson·R. M. de Almeida·S. J. de Jong·G. De Mauro·J. R. T. de Mello Neto·I. De Mitri·J. de Oliveira·V. de Souza·J. Debatin·O. Deligny·C. Di Giulio·A. Di Matteo·M. L. Díaz Castro·F. Diogo·C. Dobrigkeit·J. C. D'Olivo·Q. Dorosti·R. C. dos Anjos·M. T. Dova
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Abstract

An in-situ calibration of a logarithmic periodic dipole antenna with a frequency coverage of 30 MHz to 80 MHz is performed. Such antennas are part of a radio station system used for detection of cosmic ray induced air showers at the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the so-called Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA). The directional and frequency characteristics of the broadband antenna are investigated using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) carrying a small transmitting antenna. The antenna sensitivity is described by the vector effective length relating the measured voltage with the electric-field components perpendicular to the incoming signal direction. The horizontal and meridional components are determined with an overall uncertainty of 7.4^{+0.9}_{-0.3} % and 10.3^{+2.8}_{-1.7} % respectively. The measurement is used to correct a simulated response of the frequency and directional response of the antenna. In addition, the influence of the ground conductivity and permittivity on the antenna response is simulated. Both have a negligible influence given the ground conditions measured at the detector site. The overall uncertainties of the vector effective length components result in an uncertainty of 8.8^{+2.1}_{-1.3} % in the square root of the energy fluence for incoming signal directions with zenith angles smaller than 60{\deg}.

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The Pierre Auger Collaboration, A. Aab, P. Abreu, M. Aglietta, I. Al Samarai, I. F. M. Albuquerque, I. Allekotte, A. Almela, J. Alvarez Castillo, J. Alvarez-Muñiz, G. A. Anastasi, L. Anchordoqui, B. Andrada, S. Andringa, C. Aramo, F. Arqueros, N. Arsene, H. Asorey, P. Assis, J. Aublin, G. Avila, A. M. Badescu, A. Balaceanu, F. Barbato, R. J. Barreira Luz, J. J. Beatty, K. H. Becker, J. A. Bellido, C. Berat, M. E. Bertaina, X. Bertou, P. L. Biermann, P. Billoir, J. Biteau, S. G. Blaess, A. Blanco, J. Blazek, C. Bleve, M. Boháčová, D. Boncioli, C. Bonifazi, N. Borodai, A. M. Botti, J. Brack, I. Brancus, T. Bretz, A. Bridgeman, F. L. Briechle, P. Buchholz, A. Bueno, S. Buitink, M. Buscemi, K. S. Caballero-Mora, L. Caccianiga, A. Cancio, F. Canfora, L. Caramete, R. Caruso, A. Castellina, G. Cataldi, L. Cazon, A. G. Chavez, J. A. Chinellato, J. Chudoba, R. W. Clay, A. Cobos, R. Colalillo, A. Coleman, L. Collica, M. R. Coluccia, R. Conceição, G. Consolati, F. Contreras, M. J. Cooper, S. Coutu, C. E. Covault, J. Cronin, S. D'Amico, B. Daniel, S. Dasso, K. Daumiller, B. R. Dawson, R. M. de Almeida, S. J. de Jong, G. De Mauro, J. R. T. de Mello Neto, I. De Mitri, J. de Oliveira, V. de Souza, J. Debatin, O. Deligny, C. Di Giulio, A. Di Matteo, M. L. Díaz Castro, F. Diogo, C. Dobrigkeit, J. C. D'Olivo, Q. Dorosti, R. C. dos Anjos, M. T. Dova. 2017-02-05. Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/12/10/t10005

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