Lateral particle density reconstruction from the energy deposits of particles in the KASCADE-Grande detector stations

The study of primary cosmic rays with energies greater than 1014 eV is done mostly by indirect observation techniques such as the study of Extensive Air Showers (EAS). In the much larger framework effort of inferring data on the mass and energy of the primaries from EAS observables, the present study aims at delivering a versatile method and software tool that will be used to reconstruct lateral particle densities from the energy deposits of particles in the KASCADE-Grande detector stations. The study has been performed on simulated events, by taking into account the interaction of the EAS components with the detector array (energy deposits). The energy deposits have been parametrized for different incident energies and angles. Thus it is possible to reconstruct the particle densities in detectors from the energy deposits. A correlation between lateral particle density and primary mass and primary energy (at ∼ 600 m from shower core) has been established. The study puts great emphasis on the quality of reconstruction and also on the speed of the technique. The data obtained from the study on simulated events will be used soon on real events detected by the KASCADE-Grande array. (authors)