This thesis presents theoretical work on the propagation of ultra high energy cosmic rays, from their source to Earth. The different energy loss processes, resulting from cosmic ray interactions with the radiation fields, are addressed. The subsequent uncertainties in the energy loss rates and the effect produced on the arriving cosmic ray spectrum are highlighted. The question of the composition of ultra high energy cosmic rays remains unresolved, with the range of possibilities leading to quite different results in both the secondary fluxes of particles produced through cosmic ray energy loss interactions en route, and the arriving cosmic ray spectra at Earth. A large range of nuclear species are considered in this work, spanning the range of physically motivated nuclear types ejected from the cosmic ray source. The treatment of cosmic ray propagation is usually handled through Monte Carlo simulations due to the stochastic nature of some of the particle physics processes relevant. In this work, an analytic treatment for cosmic ray nuclei propagation is developed. The development of this method providing a deeper understanding of the main components relevant to cosmic ray nuclei propagation, and through its application, a clear insight into the contributing particle physics aspects of the Monte Carlo simulation. A flux of secondary neutrinos, produced as a consequence of cosmic ray energy loss through pion production during propagation, is also expected to be observed at Earth. This spectrum, however, is dependent on several loosely constrained factors such as the radiation field in the infrared region and cosmic ray composition. The range of possible neutrino fluxes obtainable with such uncertainties are discussed in this work. High energy cosmic ray interactions with the radiation fields present within the source may also occur, leading to cosmic ray energy loss before the cosmic ray has even managed to escape. The secondary spectra produced are investigated through the consideration of three candidate sources. A relationship between the degree of photo-disintegration in the source region and the neutrino flux produced through p γ interactions is found.

No description available.

L'identification des sources de rayons cosmiques d'ultra-haute énergie (au-delà de 10^18 eV) constituerait une avancée majeure aussi bien dans le domaine de l'astrophysique que dans celui de la physique des particules. La difficulté principale dans la recherche de telles sources réside dans la perte de l'information directionnelle des rayons cosmiques les moins énergétiques. En effet, leur direction est sujette à des déviations d'amplitude inversement proportionnelle à leur énergie à cause des champs magnétiques qu'il traversent lors de leur propagation jusqu'à la Terre. D'autre part, pour des énergies supérieures à 4x10^(19)eV, l'interaction des rayons cosmiques avec le fond diffus cosmologique limite l'horizon de leurs sources à l'Univers proche (200 Mpc ou moins). Cette thèse a été effectuée au sein de l’observatoire Pierre Auger, le plus grand détecteur de rayons cosmiques de haute énergie. Elle est dédiée à l'étude, la sélection, la reconstruction, ainsi qu'à l'analyse des évènements de plus haute énergie. D'autre part, les particules de plus bas numéro atomique sont plus susceptibles de garder leur direction mais la composition des rayons cosmiques est inconnue à de telles énergies. Une méthode de sélection des événements les plus similaires aux protons a été élaborée et développée dans cette thèse pour étudier la possibilité de leur utilisation pour une "astronomie protons" / Identifying the sources of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs, above 10^{18} eV), the most energetic particles known in the universe, would be an important leap forward for both the astrophysics and particle physics knowledge. However, developing a cosmic-ray astronomy is arduous because magnetic fields, that permeate our Galaxy and the extra-Galactic space, deflect cosmic rays that may lose the directional information on their sources. This problem can be reduced by studying the highest energy end of the cosmic ray spectrum. Indeed, magnetic field deflections are inversely proportional to the cosmic ray energy. Moreover, above 4x10^{19} eV, cosmic rays interact with cosmic photon backgrounds, losing energy. This means that the sources of the highest energy cosmic rays observed on Earth can be located only in the nearby universe (200 Mpc or less). The largest detector ever built for detecting cosmic rays at such high energies is the Pierre Auger Observatory, in Argentina. It combines a 3000 km^2 surface array of water Cherenkov detectors with fluorescence telescopes to measure extensive air showers initiated by the UHECRs. This thesis was developed inside the Auger Collaboration and was devoted to study the highest energy events observed by Auger, starting from the selection and reconstruction up to the analysis of their distribution in the sky. Moreover, since the composition at these energies is unknown, we developed a method to select proton-like events, since high Z cosmic rays are too much deflected by magnetic fields to be used for cosmic-ray astronomy.

Après plus d'un siècle d'études, l'origine des rayons cosmiques d’ultra-haute énergie reste mal comprise. En améliorant la connaissance de la composition des rayons cosmiques détectés sur Terre, il est possible de contraindre les modèles concernant leur origine, ainsi que leur mécanisme de production dans les sources astrophysiques. Les simulations montrent que le champ électrique émis par les gerbes est sensible à leur développement dans l'atmosphère. Ce champ électrique peut être mesuré avec un cycle utile élevé, faisant du signal radio une observable prometteuse pour identifier le rayon cosmique primaire. Le signal radio permet également de mesurer sa direction d'arrivée et son énergie. Depuis 2006, l'observatoire Pierre Auger accueille plusieurs réseaux de radio détection des rayons cosmiques. Des démonstrateurs équipés de quelques stations (RAuger,MAXIMA) ont permis une caractérisation efficace de l'environnement radio du site, ils ont également apporté des contraintes sur les mécanismes responsables de l'émission du champ électrique par les gerbes dans le domaine du MHz. Les prototypes ont mené à la construction d’AERA (Auger Engineering Radio Array) qui, avec 124 stations couvrant 6 km², est le premier réseau grande échelle de radio détection des gerbes dans le domaine du MHz. AERA est déployé dans l'extension basse énergie de l'observatoire afin de bénéficier d'une statistique plus importante. Le réseau permet d'intéressantes mesures hybrides ; son emplacement permet en effet de croiser les données obtenues par la radio avec celles provenant du réseau de surface (SD) et des télescopes à fluorescence (FD) proches du réseau. Cette thèse est dédiée à la caractérisation de signaux transitoires radio détectés par RAuger et AERA. Comme un des défis de la radio détection des gerbes atmosphériques est de supprimer les bruits de fond anthropiques causant des déclenchements accidentels, des méthodes de réjection du bruit de fond et de sélection des coïncidences SD-AERA ont été développées. Une étude de la corrélation entre le développement de la gerbe dans l'atmosphère (profil longitudinal) et le champ électrique mesuré par les stations radio est également présentée. Cette étude valide le lien direct entre le champ électrique et le développement de la gerbe dans l'atmosphère et confirme l’intérêt du signal radio pour l’estimation de la nature des rayons cosmiques d'ultra-haute énergie. / After more than a century of studies, one of the challenging questions related to ultra-high energy cosmic rays concerns their nature, which remains unclear. Improving the knowledge about the composition of cosmic rays will permit to constrain the models concerning their origins and the production mechanisms in the astrophysical sources. Simulations show that, the electric field emitted by the shower is sensitive to its development. This electric-field can be measured with a high duty cycle, and thus is apromising technique to identify an observable sensitive to the nature of the primary cosmic ray. The radio signal is also used to measure its arrival direction and its energy. Since 2006, the Pierre Auger Observatory hosts several radio detection arrays of cosmic rays, starting from small size prototypes (RAuger, MAXIMA) to achieve a large scale array of 124 radio stations: AERA, the Auger Engineering Radio Array covering 6 km². These different arrays allow the study of the radio emission during the development of the shower in the MHz domain. AERA is deployed in the low energy extension of the Pierre Auger Observatory in order to have a larger statistics. It enables interesting hybrid measurements, with the comparison of radio observable with those obtained with the surface detector (SD) and the fluorescence telescopes close to the array. This thesis is dedicated to the characterization of the radio transient signals detected by RAuger and AERA. As one of the challenges of the radio detection of air-shower is to remove the anthropic background causing accidental triggering, methods for background rejection and SD-AERA coincidences selection have been developed. A study of the correlation between the shower development in the atmosphere (longitudinal profile) and the electric-field measured by the radio stations is also presented. This study shows the relationship between the electric-field and the shower development in the atmosphere and confirms that the radio signal is a powerful tool to study the nature of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays.

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Marcelo Augusto Leigui de Oliveira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física, 2016. / We present in this work studies on ultra-high energy cosmic rays using the air- uorescence detection technique. The research main objective consists in event reconstructions from a fluorescence telescope, such that a simulation code has been developed taking into account the physical processes involved in the generation and the propagation of uorescence photons from an extensive air shower to a telescope. The secondary particles of air showers has been previously obtained using CORSIKA code for dierent primary energies and compositions. Furthermore, the photon generation has been calculated using Bethe and Bloch equation for the energy loss of electrons and positrons in air and the uorescence yield parameterized with air conditions at given altitudes. The attenuation of photons towards the telescope has been calculated for Rayleigh and Mie scatterings. With the developed simulation, it was possible to study the dependence of the shower maximum depth in the atmosphere, considering dierent experimental congurations for the telescopes used in the Pierre Auger Observatory, Telescope Array and MonRAt. Finally, the reconstruction of the geometric parameters of cosmic rays has been performed by the determination of the arrival directions and the angular reconstruction limits.

Orientador: Jose Augusto Chinellato / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T05:35:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Catalani_Fernando_D.pdf: 3151550 bytes, checksum: e2bbe39231b08bdb8fdcd358452d30f5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Essa tese tinha como objetivo estudar o perfil longitudinal de chuveiros atmosféricos extensos de forma completa. Nós simulamos chuveiros atmosféricos utilizando o programa CORSIKA para diferentes primários e energias acima de 10 17 e V e procuramos relações entre vários parâmetros extraídos do perfil longitudinal, como Xmax, X0, Xmax - X0, FWHM entre outros. Utilizamos os modelos de interação hadrônica QGSJET01 e SIBYLL2.1 nesses estudos. Um resultado obtido foi a contribuição de diferentes componentes de um chuveiro atmosférico no depósito de energia na atmosfera, para diferentes ângulos, primários e modelos de interação hadrônica. Calculamos, pela primeira vez, explicitamente as quantidades de energia calorimétrica e energia perdida que são necessárias para a recosntrução da energia do primário. Pudemos, então, parametrizar a fração de energia perdida em termos da energia calorimétrica e da energia do primário. Essa parametrização varia menos de 1 % com o ângulo zenital e com o nível de observação. Já a dependência com o primário é menor que 5 % e com o modelo de interação hadrônica é menor que 2 %.Calculamos como menor que 3 % o erro sistemático de corrigir a energia perdida usando uma parametrização mista de 50 % de chuveiros de ferro e 50 % chuveiros de próton. Aplicamos métodos estatísticos no estudo da composição de raios cósmicos. Como resultado, propomos a utilização de vários parâmetros do perfil longitudinal como Xmax, Nmax, Sigma, Assimetria, Skewness and Kurtose. Através do método de análise de componentes principais (PCA) nós estudamos a relevência de cada um desses parâmetros na caracterização do perfil longitudinal. Aplicamos, então, a análise de discriminantes lineares (LDA) para encontrar uma combinação linear dos parâmetros usados que melhor classifique um chuveiro como sendo originado por próton, ferro e fótons. Mostramos que LDA permite uma melhor separação entre chuveiros de hádrons e fótons e entre chuveiros de prótons e ferro que métodos baseados apenas na medida de Xmax / Abstract: The aim of this thesis was to study in a thoroughly way the longitudinal profile of air showers. We simulated air showers for different primaries and energies with the CORSIKA program and searched for relations between several parameters extracted from longitudinal profile, like Xsub>max, X0, Xmax-X0, FWHM and others. Hadronic interaction models QGSJET01 and SiBYLL2.1 were used in these studies. One result was the contribution for different components of an air shower to the energy deposit in the atmosphere, considering different angles, primary particles and hadronic interaction models was studied. We calculated, for the first time, the amounts of calorimetric energy and missing energy which are essential to reconstruct the primary energy. Thus, we could parameterize the fraction of missing energy in terms of the primary energy as a function of calorimetric energy. This parametrization varies less than 1% with angle and observation level. We showed that the dependence with primary mass is less than 5 % and with hadronic interaction model is below 2%. Using a parametrization with a mixture of 50 % of proton and 50 % iron showers at 45° to correct the missing energy the systematic error found was less than 3 %. Finally, we applied statistical methods in the composition studies of air showers. As a result, we propose the utilization of several features of air shower longitudinal profiles such as Xmax, Nmax, Sigma, Asymmetry, Skewness and Kurtosis. First we studied the relevance of each parameter for the overall shower features using principal component analysis (PCA). Then, we applied linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to find a linear combination of the shower parameters that best classifies a shower as an iron, proton or photon originated shower. We showed that LDA provides a better separation between iron and proton showers than using only Xmax-based methods / Doutorado / Física das Particulas Elementares e Campos / Doutor em Ciências

Orientador: Carlos Ourivio Escobar / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T18:57:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Peixoto_CarlosJoseTodero_D.pdf: 15351567 bytes, checksum: 33b4f282f53a5669d23f8170b3bbf392 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Desde os primeiros Raios Cósmicos de alta energia detectados por Pierre Auger na década de 30, toda a comunidade de Física de Radiação Cósmica procura técnicas matemáticas e métodos estatísticos mais adequados para analisar estes eventos. Estes processos de análise são imprescindíveis na estimativa da energia da partícula primária, bem como no cálculo do ângulo de chegada q . A estimativa desta energia e do ângulo q é o final de toda uma rede de trabalho e o começo de uma nova linha de pesquisa na busca pelas possíveis fontes que produziram tais eventos. Ao longo deste trabalho refizemos o princípio de reconstrução dos "chuveiros de Auger", os chamados "Chuveiros Atmosféricos Extensos" ( C.A.E.), utilizando um conceito relativamente novo de estatística, hoje denominada Estatística Robusta. O Método dos Mínimos Quadrados ou Least Square -LS, apresentado por Gauss e Legendre, possuía limitações que eles próprios já reconheciam e tentaram resolver, sem sucesso. Desde fins do século XVIII e come¸ co do século XIX, os métodos estritamente paramétricos, em especial o Método dos Mínimos Quadrados e a média aritmética, foram questionados quando utilizados para descrever distribuições pouco comportadas ou com grandes utuações. Algumas das principais questões estavam relacionadas a como tratar pontos muito distantes da distribuição principal (os chamados outliers) e como estes influenciavam a própria distribuição. A saída convencional mais utilizada foi a rejeição dos outliers e de pontos que apresentassem grandes desvios em relação a média. Porém, a perda de informações sobre a própria distribuição tornava-se inevitável. O modelo paramétrico mostrou-se apenas uma aproximação da realidade, uma vez que as flutuações, apesar de serem consideradas, não são "bem-vindas"; são vistas apenas como um erro inerente à observação. Então, no fim do século XIX apareceram as primeiras tentativas de extrair informação das flutuações, classificando-as e as considerando parte integral da descrição da distribuição. Se um método estatístico for capaz de descrever os dados observados, incluindo e classificando as flutuações inerentes, este passa a ser conhecido como "Método Robusto" ou "Estatística Robusta", onde a nomenclatura "Robusta" está relacionada à capacidade do método ou modelo de "resistir" às flutuações fornecendo uma descrição da realidade com razoável independência destas mesmas flutuações. Com base em dois métodos robustos, Mínima Mediana Quadrada (Least Median Square - LMS) e Mínimos Quadrados "Aparados" (Least Trimmed Square - LTS), aplicamos estes nos ajustes da Função Distribuição Lateral de Chuveiros (Lateral Distribution Function - LDF) extraindo o valor de S 1000, parâmetro necessário para estimar a energia da partícula primária. Os valores para S1000 calculados a partir de estatística convencional (Mínimos Quadrados) e estatística robusta (LMS e LTS) são comparados. O valor de S1000, para chuveiros de mesma energia, depende do ângulo q dos primários, já que o CAE sofre atenuação na atmosfera, atenuação esta tanto maior quanto maior, for q . Para levar em conta a atenuação no cálculo do espectro de energia, em que todos os ângulos de chegada são considerados (até 60 graus), é introduzido o parâmetro S38, onde 38 graus é a mediana dos dados do Auger. A atenuação é calculada usando-se o método do Constant Intensity Cut (CIC) o qual depende da validade de várias hipóteses. As três hipóteses supostas pela Colaboração Auger são apresentadas neste trabalho. Correlacionamos, assim, todos os novos valores de S38 com os valores da chamada "Energia Híbrida", obtida diretamente do programa de análise da Colaboração Auger. Esta correlação nos permite recorrigir a energia com base em detecção híbrida, que é a grande vantagem do Observatório Pierre Auger. Esta correlação nos permite estabelecer a escala de energia ou calibração do detector de superfície com base na determinação calorimétrica da energia feita pelo detector de flurescência, que é o grande avançoo trazido para o campo pelo Obvservatório Pierre Auger. Com os novos resultados de energia, refizemos os cálculos de minimização para a correlação de radiação cósmica com fontes extra-galácticas obtendo correlações que não estão em correspondência biunívoca com aquelas obtidas pelo método convencional de análise. Por fim fazemos uma análise das próprias estações outliers tentando extrair alguma informação relacionada à performance do detector de superfície. Os apêndices incluídos após as conclusões foram colocados neste trabalho apenas por motivos didáticos como consulta rápida para o leitor leigo em métodos de detecção de radiação cósmica / Abstract: Since the first ultra high-energy cosmic rays detected by Pierre Auger (the 30s) the entire community of Physics of Cosmic Rays search for mathematical techniques and more appropriate statistical methods to analyze these events. These analysis processes are essential for the estimate of the energy of the primary particle as well as in the calculation of the angle of arrival q . The estimate of the energy and the angle q is the end of a long chain of analysis and the beginning of a new line of research in the search for the possible sources that produced such events. Throughout this work we re-analysed the reconstruction chain of the "Auger showers", the socalled "Extensive Air Showers - EAS", using a relatively new concept of statistics, known as Robust Statistics. The Least Square Method - LS, presented by Gauss and Legendre had limitations already recognized by themselves who tried to overcome them without success. Since the end of the eighteenth century and beginning of the nineteenth century, strictly parametric methods, especially the Least Squares and the arithmetic average, were questioned when used to describe distributions with bad behavior or with large uctuations. Some of the main issues were related to how to deal with points far way from the main distribution (the so-called outliers) and how it in uenced the main distribution. The more conventional way out used was the rejection of the outliers and points that produced large deviations from average. But the loss of information about the distribution was inevitable. The parametric model proved to be only an approximation of reality, since uctuations, despite being considered, are not "welcome"; are seen only as an error inherent in observation. Then, at the end of the nineteenth century there appeared the first attempts to extract information from uctuations sorting them out and considering them as an integral part of the description of the distribution. Whether a statistical method is able to describe observed data, including and sorting the uctuations inherent, then becomes known as "Robust Method" or "Robust Statistic", where the nomenclature "Robust" is related the ability of the method or model to "Resist" the uctuations by providing a description of reality with reasonable independence these same uctuations. Based on two robust methods: Least Median Square - LMS and Least Trimmed Square - LTS; we apply these to adjust the Lateral Distribution Function - LDF extracting the value of S1000, parameter needed to estimate the energy of the primary particle. The values for S1000 calculated from conventional statistic (Least Square) and robust statistic (LMS and LTS) are compared. The parameter S1000 is dependent on the angle of arrival of the shower, then we apply a correction factor called S38. This correlates S1000 and and, currently, there are several ways to calculate this factor. The three hypotheses most used by Auger Collaboration are presented in this work. We then correlate all new values of S38 with the values of the so-called "Hybrid Energy", obtained directly from analysis software of the Auger Collaboration. This relationship allows us to correct the energy based on hybrid detection that is great advantage of the Pierre Auger Observatory. This relationship allows us to establish the energy scale or calibration of the surface detector on the basis of the calorimetric determination of the energy done by the uorescence detector which is the great advancement brought to the field by the Pierre Auger Observatory. With the new results for the energy we reanalysed the the correlation with extra-galactic sources of cosmic ray getting new correlations, which are absent in the conventional methods of analysis. Finally we make an analysis of the surface stations outliers by themselves trying to extract some information relevant for their performance. Appendices included after the conclusions were placed in this work only for a rapid consultation by lay readers in methods of detection of cosmic rays / Doutorado / Teorias Especificas e Modelos de Interação ; Sistematica de Particulas ; Raios Cosmicos / Doutor em Ciências

Orientador: Ernesto Kemp / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T15:39:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Batista_RafaelAlves_M.pdf: 8040703 bytes, checksum: 596e886c4828986af7fb003ba71adf9b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Campos magnéticos cósmicos são ubíquos e estão presentes em todas as escalas, desde os planetas até os superaglomerados de galáxias. Sabe-se que o campo magnético da Via Láctea possui uma componente regular, que tem uma estrutura espiral, e uma componente aleatória. Muitas questões acerca do magnetismo galáctico ainda permanecem sem respostas, e o modelo de espiral mais adequado para descrever as observações é incógnito. Uma possibilidade pouco explorada para estudar o campo magnético da Via Láctea é utilização de informações relacionadas à propagação de partículas carregadas através da mesma. Neste contexto estão inseridos os raios cósmicos ultra-energéticos, as partículas mais energéticas do universo, cuja origem, composição química e mecanismos de aceleração e propagação não são bem compreendidos. A deflexão de partículas provenientes da mesma fonte no campo magnético galáctico pode gerar estruturas filamentares com eventos ordenados por energia, os chamados multipletos, sendo esta uma assinatura única deixada pelo campo em mapas contendo direções de chegada de raios cósmicos. Neste trabalho é apresentado um método inédito para estudos do campo magnético galáctico, através da identificação e análise da orientação de multipletos nestes mapas. Este método baseia-se na transformada de wavelets na esfera, que permite amplificar a razão sinal-ruído e fazer reconhecimento de padrões, de forma a identificar multipletos imersos em ruído de natureza estocástica. Na primeira parte do trabalho o método foi aplicado a dados simulados visando obter a orientação esperada para multipletos oriundos de fontes em diversas partes da esfera celeste, segundo diferentes modelos de campo magnético galáctico. Na segunda parte do trabalho, aplicou-se o método a eventos detectados pelo Observatório de Raios Cósmicos Pierre Auger. A confrontação dos resultados de dados reais e simulações permite restringir modelos de campo magnético galáctico / Abstract: Cosmic magnetic fields are ubiquitous and are present in all size scales, from planets to superclusters of galaxies. The magnetic field of the Milky Way has a regular component, with a spiral structure, and a random component. Many questions concerning galactic magnetism still remain unanswered, and the spiral model which best fits the observations is unknown. An underexplored possibility to probe these fields is to use information related to the propagation of charged particles through them. In this context, an interesting probe are the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays, the most energetic particles in the universe, whose origin, chemical composition and mechanisms of acceleration and propagation are not well-understood. The deflection of particles coming from the same source can generate threadlike structures with events ordered by energy, the so-called multiplets, which imprints a unique signature of the galactic magnetic field in maps containing arrival directions of cosmic rays. In the present work it is presented a novel method to probe the galactic magnetic field, by identifying and analysing the orientation of multiplets in these maps. This method relies on the spherical wavelet transform, which is capable of amplifying the signal-to-noise ratio and perform pattern matching, so that it is possible to identify multiplets embedded in a stochastic background. In the first part of this work the method is applied to simulated data, aiming to obtain the expected orientations for multiplets associated to sources in several regions of the celestial sphere, according to different models of galactic magnetic field. In the second part of the work the method was applied to events detected by the Pierre Auger Observatory. A confrontation between the results using real and simulated data allows one to impose constraints to galactic magnetic field models / Mestrado / Física / Mestre em Física

Les rayons cosmiques ont été découverts il y a un siècle par Victor Hess à bord d'un vol scientifique en ballon. La physique des rayons cosmiques et les ballons stratosphériques ont partagé depuis lors une histoire commune, que ce soit pour d'authentiques découvertes ou en utilisant les ballons comme plateformes de test technologique pour de nouvelles missions satellites. Cette thèse, développée au sein de la collaboration JEM-EUSO, traite d'un démonstrateur en ballon stratosphérique. Notre but scientifique final est l'étude des Rayons Cosmiques de Ultra-Haute Energie (RCUHE), les particules les plus énergétiques connues dans l'Univers. Les RCUHES ont des énergies macroscopiques de plus de 10^20eV mais étant extrêmement rares, leurs origines sont encore inconnues. Ces derniers pénètrent notre atmosphère à une fréquence de un par km2 par siècle, produisant une gerbe atmosphérique géante, détectable notamment par la lumière de fluorescence ultraviolette qu'elle émet. Le principe de détection proposé par notre collaboration consiste dans l'utilisation d'un observatoire spatial, JEM-EUSO. Son objectif est d'observer un très grand volume d'atmosphère afin d'enregistrer un nombre significatif des événements ultra-violet de fluorescence initiés par les RCUHEs. Le démonstrateur EUSO-Ballon a été développé par la collaboration JEM-EUSO dans le but de démontrer les technologies et méthodes utilisées par le futur instrument spatial. Le 25 août 2014, EUSO-Ballon a été lâché depuis la base de ballons stratosphériques de Timmins (Ontario, Canada) par la division ballon du CNES. L'instrument a fonctionné pendant toute une nuit astronomique, observant depuis 38km d'altitude la lumière UV provenant de divers types de sols et de centaines de gerbes atmosphériques simulées. Ces dernières ont été produites par des flashers et un laser embarqués dans un hélicoptère volant sous EUSO-Ballon pendant deux heures. Ces résultats ont été rendus possibles par la restitution de l'attitude de l'instrument effectuée à l'IRAP, c'est-à-dire une analyse exhaustive des données du vol des différents appareils de mesure d'attitude de la nacelle du ballon. Une caractérisation précise de chaque sous-système était aussi indispensable à l'exploitation des données du vol. Le système optique innovant, composé de deux grandes lentilles de Fresnel, a été intégré et entièrement testé à l'IRAP. Face au large système réfractif de l'instrument, une nouvelle méthodologie de test a été développée. Les performances de l'optique, efficacité et spot focal, ont ainsi été mesurées et se sont révélées étonnamment différentes des prédictions des modèles numériques. Ces mesures sont utilisées pour l'analyse des données du premier vol et pour mieux comprendre le comportement de ces toutes nouvelles optiques, éléments clés dans la conception de l'instrument JEM-EUSO. / A century ago Cosmic Rays were discovered by Victor Hess during one of the very first scientific balloon flights. Ever since, Cosmic Ray physics and stratospheric balloons have shared a common history - either through genuine discoveries or by using balloon platforms as technology test beds for new satellite missions. This thesis, carried out within the JEM-EUSO collaboration, is about such a pathfinder balloon mission. Our ultimate science goal is the study of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR), the most energetic particles known in the Universe. Having macroscopic energies of over 10^20 eV, UHECRs are of yet unknown cosmic origin and are extremely rare. They penetrate our atmosphere at a rate of about one event per km2 and century, producing energetic atmospheric air showers, detectable through the ultraviolet fluorescence light they emit. The technique that our collaboration proposes for their detection consists of a spaceborne observatory, JEM-EUSO. Its objective is to monitor a very large volume of the Earth's nighttime atmosphere from above, recording a significant sample of ultraviolet light tracks initiated by UHECRs. In order to demonstrate the technologies and methods featured in the future space instrument, the EUSO-Balloon pathfinder has been developed by the JEM-EUSO collaboration. On August 25, 2014, EUSO-Balloon was launched from Timmins Stratospheric Balloon Base (Ontario, Canada) by the balloon division of the French Space Agency CNES. From a float altitude of 38 km, the instrument operated during the entire astronomical night, observing UV-light from a variety of groundcovers and from hundreds of simulated air showers, produced by flashers and a laser during a two-hour helicopter under-flight. These results have been made possible by the restitution of the instruments attitude carried out at IRAP, i.e. an exhaustive analysis of the flight data from various attitude sensors on board of the balloon gondola. Also, a precise understanding of the Fresnel optics was required to analyze the data of the first EUSO-balloon flight. The all new optical system, integrated and tested at IRAP, has been characterized during two measurement campaigns. To test this large refractive system, a new test method has been developed. The optics performance, i.e. the efficiency and point spread function, came as something of a surprise, since none of the numerical models had predicted the observed behavior. These measurements are used in the analysis of the flight data and for the deep understanding of these brand-new Fresnel optics, key element in the design of the JEM-EUSO instrument.

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’améliorer la détermination de la masse des rayons cosmiques d’ultra haute énergie faite à l’Observatoire Pierre Auger. Aujourd’hui cette mesure est faite à travers l’utilisation de télescopes à fluorescence qui nécessitent des conditions de luminosité spéciales réduisantle cycle utile à environ 10%. Trois approches différentes sont proposées:La première approche est une nouvelle analyse. Les muons issus des gerbes horizontales sont déviés par le champ magnétique terrestre. Cette déviation modifie l’empreinte au sol des gerbes atmosphériques et est fonction de la longueur de parcours des muons. Un estimateur de Xμmax, leur point de productionmaximum, qui dépend de la masse du primaire peut être construit.La deuxième approche explore la détection du rayonnement radio émis par les gerbes atmosphériques, une technique similaire à la fluorescence mais sans limitation du cycle utile. La détection du rayonnement de Bremsstrahlung moléculaire est revue et explorée de différentes manières.La troisième approche propose un nouveau type de détecteur pour le réseau de surface, ces détecteurs ayant une réponse distincte aux différentes composantes des gerbes atmosphériques : électromagnétique et muonique. La mesure de la composante muonique est aussi un moyen d’accéder à la nature du primaire.La nouvelle analyse semble un outil prometteur qui peut s’appliquer à tout lot de données. La radio-détection en revanche n’apparaît pas comme une alternative compétitive face aux techniques traditionnelles. Le nouveau détecteur offre de belles perspectives et devrait être considéré pour l'équipementdes futurs observatoires. / The motivation of this PhD thesis is to improve the capabilities to determine the mass composition of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays in the Pierre Auger Observatory. The measure of their mass composition is done with the fluorescence technique, that needs special luminosity conditions that reduce the exposure time to about 10% of the time. Three different approaches are proposed.The first approach is a new analysis. Muons in the horizontal showers are deviated by the magnetic field of the Earth. This deflection is related with different characteristics of the extensive air shower that allow the construction of an estimator to obtain an alternative measure of Xμmax, an observable sensitive to the mass of the primary.The second approach is to explore the detection of the radio emission produced in the extensive air showers, a technique similar to the fluorescente one, but without the limitations in the duty cycle. The detection of the Molecular Bremsstrahlung Radiation emission is revised and investigated from different points of view.The third approach is to propose a new surface detector that obtains different responses to the different components of the extensive air shower: electromagnetic and muonic. The access to the muonic component is another way to access to the composition of the primary particle.The new method of analysis proposed appears as a promising tool to be applied in any data set. The technique of the radio detection did not show clear indications of being an alternative to traditional techniques. The new detector represents a promising alternative to be considered in any future ultra-high energy cosmic rays experiment.