The Anomalous Absorption of the Hard Component of Cosmic Rays in Air

Abstract

The anomalously large absorption of mesotrons in air has been confirmed by a comparison of the vertical intensity of mesotrons at two different altitudes (500 m and 3460 m). At 3460 m the vertical intensity has also been compared with the intensity under a zenith angle of 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. If the results obtained are interpreted according to the hypothesis of the instability of the mesotron, they are found to be consistent with the assumption of a proper lifetime of 4 or 5 microseconds for the mesotron.