The East-West method: an exposure-independent method to search for large scale anisotropies of cosmic rays

Understand

The measurement of large scale anisotropies in cosmic ray arrival directions at energies above 10^13 eV is performed through the detection of Extensive Air Showers produced by cosmic ray interactions in the atmosphere.

• The observed anisotropies are small, so accurate measurements require small statistical uncertainties, i.e.
• large datasets.
• These can be obtained by employing ground detector arrays with large extensions (from 10^4 to 10^9 m^2) and long operation time (up to 20 years).