Energy, altitude, and mass dependence of steepness of the lateral distribution function of electrons and muons in extensive air showers

In the present work, the energy and mass dependence of the steepness of the lateral distribution function of electrons and muons (η) are investigated. Based on a CORSIKA simulation, different characteristics of η for proton, helium, oxygen, and iron primaries in the energy range 1014–1017 eV are presented. It is found that η is a mass sensitive parameter, and its potential as a mass discrimination parameter between light and heavy primaries is studied. Moreover, the altitude dependence of η for KASCADE and Auger experiments (110 and 1400 m) is discussed. It is shown that the Auger experiment is potentially more effective for applying this parameter as a mass discriminator between light and heavy cosmic ray components, especially at high energies.