RESULTS OF FRACTAL ANALYSIS OF THE KIEL EXTENSIVE AIR SHOWER DATA

For years there has been a problem in cosmic ray studies of how to dis tinguish individual extensive air showers (EAS) originating from prima ry protons, heavy nuclei or primary photons. In this paper results of experimental data obtained from the fractal analysis of particle densi ty distributions in individual EAS detected in the range of shower siz es N-c between 1.4 x 10(5)-5 x 10(6) by the old Kiel experiment are pr esented. The Lipschitz-Holder exponent distributions of EAS detected b y the Kiel experiment are discussed. The examples of EAS most probably originating from primary protons, heavy nuclei and high-energy gamma- rays are presented. The lateral distributions of charged particle dens ities at small distances, angular and size spectra and the mass compos ition of primary cosmic ray particles around the 'knee' of the energy spectrum are discussed. The Monte Carlo simulation data illustrating t he problem of interest are also shown.