MULTICOMPONENT EXTENSIVE AIR SHOWER OBSERVATIONS AT EAS-TOP

The study of cosmic rays at primary energies E-0 > 10(14) eV requires the detection of the different components of Extensive Air Showers thr ough ground based stations. EAS-TOP is such an array (located at Campo Imperatore, 2000 m a.s.l., National Gran Sasso Laboratories), includi ng detectors of the electromagnetic, muon (E-mu approximate to GeV at the surface, and E-mu approximate to TeV in coincidence with the detec tors operating in the underground Gran Sasso Laboratories), hadron and atmospheric Cerenkov light components. The combined operation of the detectors is discussed from the point of view of the capability of mea suring the cosmic ray primary spectrum and composition. The main lines for checking the significant features of the high energy hadron inter action model used for the interpretation of the data are outlined.