TeV Muons in Hadronic Showers

Abstract

{}From the study of the multiple muon events in deep underground detectors, it is possible to extract information about the spectrum and composition of the primary cosmic rays. In this work the number of TeV muons produced by a primary cosmic ray of a given energy and zenith angle is computed using analytic and montecarlo methods, for a family of simplified models as description of the properties of hadronic interactions. The effects of the uncertainties in our knowledge of the hadronic cross sections in the calculation of TeV muons are discussed.

standard latex, 17 pages + 16 figures (not included available on request); preprint 956, Dipartimento di Fisica Universita' di Roma "La Sapienza", and INFN sezione di Roma