Electromagnetic cascade showers with the LPM effect in standard rock initiated by extremely high-energy (1015 eV to 1021 eV) gamma-rays

Summary High-energy neutrinos produce finally high-energy electromagnetic cascade showers. For the detectio of high-energy neutrinos, it is necessary to examine the behaviour of the electromagnetic cascade showers in the higher-energy region. It is well known that the LPM effect plays a decisive role in the electromagnetic cascade shower development at higher energies. In the present paper, the behaviour of electromagnetic cascade showers including the LPM effect (LPM showers) in standard rock is examined using the calculational technique developed by Fujimaki and Misaki. In order to clarify the characteristics of LPM showers, similar calculations are also carried out for cascade showers in the absence of the LPM effect (BH showers). Comparisons between the two different kinds of cascade showers are made over electron transition curves, track lengths and fractional dissipated energies. Finally, the strong deviation of LPM showers from the normal BH showers is emphasized.