An indication of a simultaneous maximum of total cross section and average inelasticity near 30000 GeV from an interpretation of the Tian Shan extensive air shower experiment

Abstract

Lateral electron distributions of cosmic extensive air showers (EAS) recorded at energies 5 GeV are not in agreement with constant inelasticity and constant cross section of ultra-high energy interactions. Theoretical analysis indicates that the p-p cross section and inelasticity are either decreasing together from a maximum larger than 56 mb and 0.55 when the energy is rising from 30000 GeV up to 10⁵ GeV, or are decreasing separately from higher maximum values.