Surface detector array for the Pierre Auger observatory

The Pierre Auger international collaboration will install two observatories, one in the southern hemisphere and other in the northern hemisphere. Each observatory will consist of two different subsystem: a surface detector array of about 1600 water Cherenkov detectors (WCD) and a set of fluorescence eyes to measure the longitudinal development of air showers. The large area covered by the surface detectors requires efficient calibration and monitoring methods that can be implemented remotely. We present several complementary methods to calibrate and monitor the performance of the individual surface detector stations. We also present some results of the studies made with a full size prototype tank in Puebla, Mexico and in Malargue, Argentina