Energy dependence of the mass composition of primary cosmic rays in the 1-10 PeV energy interval

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Abstract
The authors have analysed fluctuations of EAS muons and electrons, energy spectra of electromagnetic, muon and hadron EAS components and ratios between energies of these components. It is shown that the most likely explanation of the whole data set is that the primary mass composition grows heavier smoothly from low energies approximately GeV up to PeV energies and continues growing heavier in the 1-10 PeV range, which includes the 'knee' of the energy spectrum. A model with the constant, but heavier than normal, composition in the 1-10 PeV energy range does not contradict experimental data, although the fits is less satisfactory. Models in which the composition becomes lighter immediately above the 'knee' are in contradiction with the experimental data.
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