The interaction cross section of protons with nuclei of air atoms at energies 2x1016 eV

To obtain experimental data about the mean depth and fluctuations of the depth of the maximum of extensive air showers for an extensive air shower energy on the order of 1016 eV, a specialized installation has been prepared at the center of the Yakutsk extensive air shower station. The new installation consists of four detectors for registering the flux density of Cherenkov radiation, four detectors for recording the pulse shapes of the Cherenkov radiation, and 25 scintillation counters for recording the flux of charged-particle extensive air showers. During 400 hours of installation operation, 392 extensive air showers were selected with a zenith angle θ. From these events interaction cross sections of protons, E∼1016 eV, with nuclei of air atoms are presented