Neutron “thunder” accompanying an extensive air shower

The role of the neutron component of extensive air showers at PeV and EeV energies is considered. The occurrence of neutrons delayed by several hundreds of microseconds with respect to the main shower front is explained by the production and slowing down of neutrons, mainly in the neutron monitor, when a PeV-EAS core falls on it, as well as in the nearby soil and environment. An important circumstance in study of EeV EASs is that neutrons form the dominant hadronic component at a distance of about 1 km from the EAS core and at delays about 5 μs with respect to the main shower front and may contribute to the signal of the detectors located at such distances.