Seminarium Fizyki Wielkich Energii

Studies on ultra-high energy cosmic rays, those exceeding energy $10^{18}$ eV, are conducted with giant ground-based detectors recording extensive air showers (cascades of secondary particles) induced by cosmic ray particles in the atmosphere. Over recent years, these studies have dramatically advanced our understanding of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. Nevertheless, the results obtained so far neither allow us to determine the sources of these most energetic particles we know in the Universe nor to explain the origin of the observed cosmic ray flux suppression above $4\times 10^{19}$ eV. The explanation of these puzzles is one of the most important goals of modern astrophysics. At the same time, the results obtained indicate that further advances in research on ultra-high energy cosmic rays require improving measuring capabilities of detectors. Therefore, there is a special need to search for new experimental solutions to improve the accuracy of measurements of extensive air showers, while reducing the costs of construction and operation of detectors. I will present modern techniques for the detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, both classic well-proven methods as well as the new radio detection method, intensively developed over the last decade, which is currently considered the most promising technique. As examples of works on alternative methods of extensive air shower detection, the microwave and radar detection techniques will be discussed. Also I will present the main goals and plans for the upgrade of the Pierre Auger Observatory -- the largest detector of ultra-high energy rays.