Exploiting the radio signal from air showers: the AERA progress

Abstract

We present the lastest results and status of the Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA), located within the Pierre Auger Observatory. AERA, with more than 150 radio stations spread over 17 km², is the largest radio detector in the world for extensive air showers above 10¹⁷ eV. The electric field emitted by secondary electrons and positrons allows us to estimate all characteristics of the primary cosmic ray: arrival direction, energy and mass composition. The performance of AERA together with the analysis methods are described. The final aim of AERA is mainly to improve the composition estimation of ultra-high energy cosmic rays as a standalone detector or in association with other instruments such as a ground particle detector or a fluorescence telescope.