Speaker
Description
The Pierre Auger Observatory offers a unique research infrastructure for advancing astroparticle physics. It integrates various detection techniques to study extensive air showers, including a surface array of water-Cherenkov detectors, scintillators (both surface and underground), radio antennas, and 27 fluorescence telescopes. This comprehensive setup enables precise measurement of air-shower properties and, in turn, the primary particle characteristics across a broad energy range, from above 5 × 10¹⁶ eV to over 10²⁰ eV. The Observatory has a strong tradition of pioneering and testing new techniques for air-shower measurement, such as radio emissions (several prototype setups for large-scale radio detection were tested within Auger later culminating in AERA) and microwave emissions (through the MIDAS and GIGAS experiments). Additionally, prototype detectors for emerging experiments, like IceCube-Gen2, GRAND@Auger, GCOS, FAST, and PEPS, are deployed at the Observatory for cross-calibration with existing detectors and to study their response to air-shower particles. The Observatory also provides the environment for geological and atmospheric studies and satellite missions. This summary highlights the expertise and infrastructure at the Pierre Auger Observatory as an optimal testing ground for astroparticle detection technologies.
