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arXiv · 2512.03692

Long-term calibration and validation of stability of the Auger Engineering Radio Array using the diffuse Galactic radio emission

The Pierre Auger Collaboration·A. Abdul Halim·P. Abreu·M. Aglietta·I. Allekotte·K. Almeida Cheminant·R. Aloisio·J. Alvarez-Muñiz·A. Ambrosone·J. Ammerman Yebra·L. Anchordoqui·B. Andrada·L. Andrade Dourado·L. Apollonio·C. Aramo·E. Arnone·J. C. Arteaga Velázquez·P. Assis·G. Avila·E. Avocone·A. Bakalova·Y. Balibrea·A. Baluta·F. Barbato·A. Bartz Mocellin·J. P. Behler·C. Berat·M. E. Bertaina·M. Bianciotto·P. L. Biermann·V. Binet·K. Bismark·T. Bister·J. Biteau·J. Blazek·J. Blümer·M. Boháčová·D. Boncioli·C. Bonifazi·N. Borodai·J. Brack·P. G. Brichetto Orquera·A. Bueno·S. Buitink·M. Büsken·A. Bwembya·K. S. Caballero-Mora·S. Cabana-Freire·L. Caccianiga·J. Caraça-Valente·R. Caruso·A. Castellina·F. Catalani·G. Cataldi·L. Cazon·M. Cerda·B. Čermáková·A. Cermenati·K. Cerny·J. A. Chinellato·J. Chudoba·L. Chytka·R. W. Clay·A. C. Cobos Cerutti·R. Colalillo·R. Conceição·G. Consolati·M. Conte·F. Convenga·D. Correia dos Santos·P. J. Costa·C. E. Covault·M. Cristinziani·C. S. Cruz Sanchez·S. Dasso·K. Daumiller·B. R. Dawson·R. M. de Almeida·E. -T. de Boone·B. de Errico·J. de Jesús·S. J. de Jong·J. R. T. de Mello Neto·I. De Mitri·D. de Oliveira Franco·F. de Palma·V. de Souza·E. De Vito·A. Del Popolo·O. Deligny·N. Denner·K. Denner Syrokvas·L. Deval·A. di Matteo·C. Dobrigkeit·J. C. D'Olivo·L. M. Domingues Mendes·Y. Dominguez Ballesteros·Q. Dorosti·R. C. dos Anjos
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Abstract

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) measures radio emission from high-energy extensive air showers. Consisting of 153 autonomous radio-detector stations spread over $17$\,km$^2$, it detects radio waves in the frequency range of $30$ to $80$\,MHz. Accurate characterization of the detector response is crucial for proper interpretation of the collected data. Previously, this was achieved through laboratory measurements of the analog chain and simulations and measurements of the antenna's directional response. In this paper, we perform an absolute calibration using the continuously monitored sidereal modulation of the diffuse Galactic radio emission. Calibration is done by comparing the average frequency spectra recorded by the stations with predictions from seven different models of the full radio sky, accounting for the system response, which includes the antenna, filters, and amplifiers. The analysis of the calibration constants over a period of seven years shows no relevant and no significant ageing effect in the AERA antennas. This result confirms the long-term stability of the detector stations and demonstrates the possibility for a radio detector to effectively monitor ageing effects of other detectors operating over extended periods.

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The Pierre Auger Collaboration, A. Abdul Halim, P. Abreu, M. Aglietta, I. Allekotte, K. Almeida Cheminant, R. Aloisio, J. Alvarez-Muñiz, A. Ambrosone, J. Ammerman Yebra, L. Anchordoqui, B. Andrada, L. Andrade Dourado, L. Apollonio, C. Aramo, E. Arnone, J. C. Arteaga Velázquez, P. Assis, G. Avila, E. Avocone, A. Bakalova, Y. Balibrea, A. Baluta, F. Barbato, A. Bartz Mocellin, J. P. Behler, C. Berat, M. E. Bertaina, M. Bianciotto, P. L. Biermann, V. Binet, K. Bismark, T. Bister, J. Biteau, J. Blazek, J. Blümer, M. Boháčová, D. Boncioli, C. Bonifazi, N. Borodai, J. Brack, P. G. Brichetto Orquera, A. Bueno, S. Buitink, M. Büsken, A. Bwembya, K. S. Caballero-Mora, S. Cabana-Freire, L. Caccianiga, J. Caraça-Valente, R. Caruso, A. Castellina, F. Catalani, G. Cataldi, L. Cazon, M. Cerda, B. Čermáková, A. Cermenati, K. Cerny, J. A. Chinellato, J. Chudoba, L. Chytka, R. W. Clay, A. C. Cobos Cerutti, R. Colalillo, R. Conceição, G. Consolati, M. Conte, F. Convenga, D. Correia dos Santos, P. J. Costa, C. E. Covault, M. Cristinziani, C. S. Cruz Sanchez, S. Dasso, K. Daumiller, B. R. Dawson, R. M. de Almeida, E. -T. de Boone, B. de Errico, J. de Jesús, S. J. de Jong, J. R. T. de Mello Neto, I. De Mitri, D. de Oliveira Franco, F. de Palma, V. de Souza, E. De Vito, A. Del Popolo, O. Deligny, N. Denner, K. Denner Syrokvas, L. Deval, A. di Matteo, C. Dobrigkeit, J. C. D'Olivo, L. M. Domingues Mendes, Y. Dominguez Ballesteros, Q. Dorosti, R. C. dos Anjos. 2025-12-03. Long-term calibration and validation of stability of the Auger Engineering Radio Array using the diffuse Galactic radio emission. https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.03692

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