Investigation of the energy characteristics of EAS muon component with the NEVOD-DECOR setup

Investigations of the energy characteristics of muon component with the increase of the primary cosmic rays energy can be a key to solving 'muon puzzle' - the problem of excess of EAS muons (observed in several experiments at high - ALEPH, DELPHI - and ultrahigh energies - DECOR, Pierre Auger Observatory) in comparison with the expected flux. The measurements results of the energy deposit of inclined muon bundles in water depending on the zenith angle and the local density of muons are presented. As a measure of the energy deposit, the total number of photoelectrons registered by PMTs of the Cherenkov water calorimeter NEVOD was used. The local density of muons, which gives an estimate of the energy of primary particles was obtained from the data of coordinate-tracking detector DECOR. The experimental data are compared with the results of calculations based on simulations of the muon component of EAS by means of the CORSIKA code. (paper)