| mots-clés : rayons cosmiques – ultra-haute énergie – détection spatiale – Station Spatiale Internationale – gerbe atmosphérique – EUSO – atmosphère – LOWTRAN 7 – MSISE – TOVS – diffusion multiple – Monte-Carlo – nuages – aérosols – fluorescence – Cerenkov – ESAF – acceptance – taux de comptage |
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| Influence of the Atmosphere on the Space Detection of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays |
EUSO is a project of ultra-high energy cosmic rays detection from space. Its concept relies on the observation of fluorescence and Cerenkov photons emitted by extensive air showers from a telescope located on the International Space Station. During this thesis, a simulation software has been developed to study the characteristics of this innovative concept of detection. It deals with the different steps of the detection chain : extensive air shower development, emission of fluorescence and Cerenkov light, and radiative transfer to the telescope. A Monte-Carlo code has been implemented to simulate the propagation of photons through the atmosphere, dealing with multiple scattering in clear sky conditions as well as in presence of aerosols and clouds. With this simulation program, the impact of atmospheric conditions on the performances of a spaceborn detector has been studied. The precise treatment of photons propagation through the atmosphere has permitted to quantify the scattered light contribution to the detected signal. |
| mots-clés en anglais : cosmic rays – ultra-high energy – space detection – International Space Station – extensive air shower – EUSO – atmosphere – LOWTRAN 7 – MSISE – TOVS – multiple scattering – Monte-Carlo – clouds – aerosols – fluorescence – Cerenkov – ESAF – acceptance – counting rate |