Aachen 2019 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 29: Deep Learning II

T 29.5: Talk

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 17:00–17:15, H06

Search for Ultra High Energy Photons with the Pierre Auger Observatory using Deep Learning Techniques — •Tobias Pan, Thomas Bretz, Paulo Ferreira, Adrianna García, Thomas Hebbeker, Julian Kemp, and Christine Peters — III. Physikalisches Institut A, RWTH Aachen University

The Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina measures extensive air showers induced by ultra high energy cosmic rays using a surface array of 1660 water Cherenkov detectors and 27 fluorescence telescopes. Besides the detailed measurement of the hadronic cosmic ray flux at the highest energies above 1 EeV, the Pierre Auger Observatory is also able to search for a flux of ultra high energy photons.

Until now, no ultra high energy photons have been discovered. Due to the high flux of hadronic cosmic rays, a good separation between photon and hadron induced air showers is crucial. A method has been developed to separate photon induced extensive air shower events from the hadronic events detected by the Pierre Auger Observatory. Deep learning methods are applied for this purpose. Trained on simulated air showers, the deep neural network will then be able to separate events in measured data.