{"id":{"repo_id":"lsu-thes","oai_identifier":"oai:repository.lsu.edu:gradschool_dissertations-1479"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/lsu-thes/oai:repository.lsu.edu:gradschool_dissertations-1479","repository":{"repo_id":"lsu-thes","name":"Lousiana State University","base_url":"https://repository.lsu.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Using power spectra to look for anisotropies in ultra-high energy cosmic ray distributions","abstract":"The origins and compositions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) remains a mystery to this day. The Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) is being constructed now in the hopes that it will help solve this mystery by detecting more UHECR than any previous experiment. In this dissertation, I will discuss this experiment, and analyze the data collected so far by comparing it with simulated data from possible source distributions. In these simulations, I will track antiprotons, along with other possible cosmic ray primaries, through various models of galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields. Once they reach a certain distance, I will record their positions on the sky. These final positions will determine the weight of that position on the sky. This weight will then be applied to possible source distributions, and the particles will be reinjected back to the earth's surface, and the simulated arrival directions will be analyzed. I will be using the method of calculating spherical harmonics coefficients to analyze the data. The method of using these angular power spectra is an attempt to provide a common language for model builders and experimentalists. Anisotropies of any size are easily detected using these coefficients, making them an ideal way to look at observed events that might not be coming from single, point sources. I will compare the results of this analysis with data obtained by the PAO by calculating spherical harmonics coefficients. After comparing the events collected to date by the PAO with three possible source distributions-isotropic, Active Galactic Nuclei, and nearby galaxies-I have observed that the data looks consistent with either nearby galaxies or AGNs as sources. However, there does exist an extra dipole moment inherent to a half-sky exposure, such as the PAO currently has, which adds in an uncertainty that fundamentally undermines the capabilities of large-scale anisotropy analysis. In the absence of clear point-like sources, construction of a detector in the Northern hemisphere will be necessary in order to know the origins of UHECRs with any confidence.","abstract_html":"The origins and compositions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) remains a mystery to this day. The Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) is being constructed now in the hopes that it will help solve this mystery by detecting more UHECR than any previous experiment. In this dissertation, I will discuss this experiment, and analyze the data collected so far by comparing it with simulated data from possible source distributions. In these simulations, I will track antiprotons, along with other possible cosmic ray primaries, through various models of galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields. Once they reach a certain distance, I will record their positions on the sky. These final positions will determine the weight of that position on the sky. This weight will then be applied to possible source distributions, and the particles will be reinjected back to the earth's surface, and the simulated arrival directions will be analyzed. I will be using the method of calculating spherical harmonics coefficients to analyze the data. The method of using these angular power spectra is an attempt to provide a common language for model builders and experimentalists. Anisotropies of any size are easily detected using these coefficients, making them an ideal way to look at observed events that might not be coming from single, point sources. I will compare the results of this analysis with data obtained by the PAO by calculating spherical harmonics coefficients. After comparing the events collected to date by the PAO with three possible source distributions-isotropic, Active Galactic Nuclei, and nearby galaxies-I have observed that the data looks consistent with either nearby galaxies or AGNs as sources. However, there does exist an extra dipole moment inherent to a half-sky exposure, such as the PAO currently has, which adds in an uncertainty that fundamentally undermines the capabilities of large-scale anisotropy analysis. In the absence of clear point-like sources, construction of a detector in the Northern hemisphere will be necessary in order to know the origins of UHECRs with any confidence.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["McEwen, Megan Alicia"],"institution":"Physics and Astronomy","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Physical Sciences and Mathematics","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2007-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:57:39Z","subjects":["anisotropy","astronomy","physics","high energy physics","cosmic rays"],"languages":[],"rights":["unrestricted","Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["etd-08302007-084124","https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/480"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-08302007-084124","href":null,"code":true},{"text":"https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/480","href":"https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/480","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.480","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["McEwen, Megan Alicia"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2007-06-29"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-05-12T23:08:57Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Physical Sciences and Mathematics"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Physics and Astronomy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["anisotropy","astronomy","physics","high energy physics","cosmic rays"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["unrestricted","Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["etd-08302007-084124","10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.480","https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/480"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The origins and compositions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) remains a mystery to this day. The Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) is being constructed now in the hopes that it will help solve this mystery by detecting more UHECR than any previous experiment. In this dissertation, I will discuss this experiment, and analyze the data collected so far by comparing it with simulated data from possible source distributions. In these simulations, I will track antiprotons, along with other possible cosmic ray primaries, through various models of galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields. Once they reach a certain distance, I will record their positions on the sky. These final positions will determine the weight of that position on the sky. This weight will then be applied to possible source distributions, and the particles will be reinjected back to the earth's surface, and the simulated arrival directions will be analyzed. I will be using the method of calculating spherical harmonics coefficients to analyze the data. The method of using these angular power spectra is an attempt to provide a common language for model builders and experimentalists. Anisotropies of any size are easily detected using these coefficients, making them an ideal way to look at observed events that might not be coming from single, point sources. I will compare the results of this analysis with data obtained by the PAO by calculating spherical harmonics coefficients. After comparing the events collected to date by the PAO with three possible source distributions-isotropic, Active Galactic Nuclei, and nearby galaxies-I have observed that the data looks consistent with either nearby galaxies or AGNs as sources. However, there does exist an extra dipole moment inherent to a half-sky exposure, such as the PAO currently has, which adds in an uncertainty that fundamentally undermines the capabilities of large-scale anisotropy analysis. In the absence of clear point-like sources, construction of a detector in the Northern hemisphere will be necessary in order to know the origins of UHECRs with any confidence."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Using power spectra to look for anisotropies in ultra-high energy cosmic ray distributions"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["McEwen, Megan Alicia"],"dc:date":["2007-06-29"],"dc:date.available":["2022-05-12T23:08:57Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The origins and compositions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) remains a mystery to this day. The Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) is being constructed now in the hopes that it will help solve this mystery by detecting more UHECR than any previous experiment. In this dissertation, I will discuss this experiment, and analyze the data collected so far by comparing it with simulated data from possible source distributions. In these simulations, I will track antiprotons, along with other possible cosmic ray primaries, through various models of galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields. Once they reach a certain distance, I will record their positions on the sky. These final positions will determine the weight of that position on the sky. This weight will then be applied to possible source distributions, and the particles will be reinjected back to the earth's surface, and the simulated arrival directions will be analyzed. I will be using the method of calculating spherical harmonics coefficients to analyze the data. The method of using these angular power spectra is an attempt to provide a common language for model builders and experimentalists. Anisotropies of any size are easily detected using these coefficients, making them an ideal way to look at observed events that might not be coming from single, point sources. I will compare the results of this analysis with data obtained by the PAO by calculating spherical harmonics coefficients. After comparing the events collected to date by the PAO with three possible source distributions-isotropic, Active Galactic Nuclei, and nearby galaxies-I have observed that the data looks consistent with either nearby galaxies or AGNs as sources. However, there does exist an extra dipole moment inherent to a half-sky exposure, such as the PAO currently has, which adds in an uncertainty that fundamentally undermines the capabilities of large-scale anisotropy analysis. In the absence of clear point-like sources, construction of a detector in the Northern hemisphere will be necessary in order to know the origins of UHECRs with any confidence."],"dc:identifier":["etd-08302007-084124","10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.480","https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/480"],"dc:rights":["unrestricted","Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide."],"dc:subject":["anisotropy","astronomy","physics","high energy physics","cosmic rays"],"dc:title":["Using power spectra to look for anisotropies in ultra-high energy cosmic ray distributions"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Physical Sciences and Mathematics"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Physics and Astronomy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:57:39Z"}