The most precise method of high energy cosmic ray detection - the fluorescence technique - has the drawback of being usable only during clear moonless nights amounting only to about 15% of the time. This paper presents an effort to develop an alternative technique independent of daylight or weather conditions. A telescope detecting cosmic ray air showers in a microwave range was realized at the University of Chicago. The paper presents experiment MIDAS using this technique, first measurements and results.
Our team member got involved in the construction, testing and calibration of the MIDAS telescope. When the telescope was transferred to the Pierre Auger Observatory site in Argentina, we participated in the mounting, connecting and testing of the experimental setup. We investigate the feasibility of this method also in laboratory conditions at Frascati and Argonne accelerators where we benefit from the previous experience gained at the AirFly project.
One of the candidate 4-pixel events found in the data exhibiting topology which is consistent with expectations from an extensive air showers.