The sensitivity of Cerenkov radiation pulses to the longitudinal development of cosmic-ray showers

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Abstract
Monte-Carlo simulation of electron-photon cascades in the atmosphere have been used to calculate fluxes and time distributions of Cerenkov radiation from air showers. Results are presented which allow the longitudinal development of cosmic-ray showers to be mapped from the time structure of Cerenkov pulses (assuming perfect instrumental time resolution) without further recourse to hadron interaction models. Mapping of the development becomes unreliable using pulses observed much within 170-200 m of the axis (depending on zenith angle). The use of angular distributions given in a preceding paper (ibid., vol.8, p.1461, 1982) proved to be a satisfactory substitute for detailed Monte-Carlo cascade simulations for calculating Cerenkov signals. A sharp shoulder is expected to develop in the lateral distribution of the light in small showers; this should be allowed for in analysing observations.