Skip to main content

Numbers: Pierre Auger Observatory

In November, the Pierre Auger Observatory outside Malargüe, Argentina, celebrates its scientific launch. The observatory will record high-energy cosmic-ray showers with ground-based water tank detectors and air-shower cameras.

Numbers: Pierre Auger Observatory
In November, the Pierre Auger Observatory outside Malargüe, Argentina, celebrates its scientific launch. The observatory will record high-energy cosmic-ray showers with ground-based water tank detectors and air-shower cameras. 

detector area
meters above sea level
tanks air observation cameras
photomultiplier tubes
Photos: Pierre Auger Observatory

 

3000

   

  Detector area in square kilometers

 

a

30

 

  Number of times Paris would fit  
  within detector area

 

 

1400

 

  Meters above sea level

 

b

739 

 

  Current number of water tanks

 

 

1600

 

  Eventual number of tanks

 

c

11,000

 

  Liters of water per tank

 

 

1500

 

  Meters between water tanks

 

 

20

 

  Years of expected lifetime for tanks

 

 

3

 

  Current air observation cameras

 

d

440

 

  Photomultiplier tubes per camera

 

e

1500

 

  Events per day recorded

 

 

140

 

  Highest energy of a recorded event
  in EeV (exa-electronvolts = 1018eV)

 

 

100

 

  Speed in miles/hour of tennis ball
  with equivalent energy

 

 

15

 

  Countries participating

 

 

1938

 

  Year Pierre Auger discovered
  cosmic ray showers

 

 

20,000

 

  Population of Malargüe

 

 

927

 

  Argentina's average human
  population per detector area

 

 
81   Argentina's average llama
  population per detector area

 

David Harris

Click here to download the pdf version of this article.