Scaling, the energy dependence of the total inelastic p-air cross section and the hadron energy spectrum

The sea-level hadron spectrum has been redetermined. From comparison with the primary spectrum it is shown that the effective p-air total cross section is rising faster than 1n E in the energy region 1-100 TeV. Comparison with calculations by Hillas shows that simulations using a scaling model and incorporating a rising cross section are in agreement with the experimental data if the inelasticity is constant in this energy region. (author)