The Intensities of the Hard and Soft Components of Cosmic Rays as Functions of Altitude and Zenith Angle

The intensities of the hard and of the soft component of cosmic rays have been recorded by a coincidence method as a function of zenith angle, at the four elevations 259, 1616, 3240, and 4300 meters, and the errors which may occur in the measurements have been studied. The absolute directional intensities have been calculated, as well as the integrated intensities at the various elevations. A comparison has been made between the variation of the hard component and the variation of the soft component with depth. The nature of the variation of the hard component with zenith angle and altitude suggests that there may be appreciable production of mesotrons at low altitude.