The charge ratio of cosmic ray muons

Prompted by recent accurate measurements of the charge ratio of atmospheric muons, the flux and energy spectra of positive and negative muons have bee n studied on the basis of Monte-Carlo simulations of the EAS development (C ORSIKA), using the GHEISHA and VENUS model as generators. The results have been analysed and compared with data under the aspect of their sensitivity to details of the hadronic interaction, in particular in the 3 GeV/n - 20 T eV/n primary energy region. The muon charge ratio proves to be a sensitive test quantity for the production model and propagation and it exhibits pecu liar features at low energies (< 1 GeV).