Sea level muon spectrum from pion and kaon spectra in the atmosphere

Abstract

The pion and kaon spectra in the top of the atmosphere have been derived from the satellite data of cosmic ray nucleons by using the Bose-type distribution of secondary mesons produced in the inclusive reactions p + p → π− + X and p + p → K− + X. The derived pion and kaon spectra follow the relations of the form π(Eπ) dEπ = 0.184Eπ−2.6 dEπ and K(Ek) dEk = 0.036 Ek−2.6 dEk. With the help of the diffusion equation for pions and kaons in the atmosphere, the sea level muon spectrum has been derived and the results have been compared with the magnetic spectrograph data of Allkofer, Carstensen, and Dau in the muon momentum range 15–1000 GeV/c. The sea level muon intensity arising from kaon parentage increases with energy.