Radio detection of cosmic-ray air showers requires time synchronization of detectors on a nanosecond level, especially for advanced reconstruction algorithms based on the wavefront curvature and for interferometric analysis approaches. At the Auger Engineering Radio Array, the distributed, autonomous detector stations are time-synchronized via the Global Positioning System which, however, does not provide sufficient timing accuracy. We thus employ a dedicated beacon reference transmitter to correct for eventby-event clock drifts in our offline data analysis. In an independent cross-check of this “beacon correction” using radio pulses emitted by commercial airplanes, we have shown that the combined timing accuracy of the two methods is better than 2 nanoseconds.

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global positioning system airplanes interferometric analysis autonomous detector detection of cosmicray air showers reconstruction algorithms time synchronization detectors beacon reference transmitter nanosecond wavefront curvature eventbyevent clock drifts timing radio pulses

Huege Tim,.Nanosecond-level time synchronization of AERA using a beacon reference transmitter and commercial airplanes. 135 (),.

Huege Tim,"Nanosecond-level time synchronization of AERA using a beacon reference transmitter and commercial airplanes" 135

Huege Tim,"Nanosecond-level time synchronization of AERA using a beacon reference transmitter and commercial airplanes"